CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The opening round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club turned out to be a challenging day for the top three golfers in the world. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, and defending PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele each made a double-bogey 6 on the par-4 16th hole, a notable hiccup for the elite trio.
“This is probably the first and last time that’ll happen in my career, unless we get some crazy weather conditions,” joked Scheffler after the round, acknowledging their unusual misfortunes. Despite the setback, Scheffler managed to finish with a 2-under 33 on the front nine, placing him tied for 14th at 2 under. Schauffele, who also managed a birdie on No. 8, ended the round tied for 60th at 1 over, while McIlroy struggled with two additional bogeys, leaving him tied for 85th at 3 over.
Jhonattan Vegas emerged as the first-round leader after making birdies on five of his last six holes, finishing at an impressive 7-under 64. Ryan Gerard and Cam Davis followed closely with scores of 5-under 66, while 47-year-old Luke Donald, the captain of the European Ryder Cup team, achieved a commendable score of 4-under, tying for fourth with several others.
The 535-yard 16th hole proved to be particularly difficult. McIlroy encountered significant challenges, including a wild drive that landed in trees and a subsequent awkward second shot that slipped him down the hill, eventually leading to a two-putt finish for his double-bogey. He hit only four of 14 fairways and lost significant strokes putting.
Scheffler started strong with an eagle on the 15th hole but faltered on 16 after his second shot ended in the pond. He expressed frustration regarding the muddy conditions, courtesy of over four inches of rain earlier in the week, noting, “There’s nothing more frustrating for a player…due to a rules decision, all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes.”
Both players highlighted that the muddy conditions could worsen as temperatures rise over the weekend. Schauffele remarked, “The mud balls are going to get worse…they’re going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it’s kind of muddy underneath.”
Despite the challenging conditions and their struggles on the 16th hole, the elite golfers displayed resilience in their performances and remain hopeful for a turnaround in the following rounds. They will look to adjust and overcome the difficulties posed by the course as the tournament progresses.