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Scheffler shares US PGA lead as Aronimink bites back Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, World number one Scottie Scheffler is looking to defend the US PGA Championship after winning at Quail Hollow last yearByJonathan Jurejko
Going into this week’s US PGA Championship, there was a fascination with how Aronimink would play and what challenge it would present.
There was a strong feeling the Pennsylvania course might be ripe for being tamed.
Instead of having its belly tickled and rolling over, Aronimink bit back on day one of the season’s second major. It bit back hard.
At the completion of Thursday’s first round, only 32 players – barely a fifth of the 156-man field – had finished under par.
The world’s best struggled to get to grips with the task presented by an undulating course with thick rough and sloping greens.
Fittingly, it was the world’s very best – Scottie Scheffler – who coped as well as anyone.
The defending champion is part of a seven-way tie for the first-round lead after plotting a three-under round of 67 which encapsulated his ability to play with relentless diligence and barely a flicker of fluster.
The world number one has often struggled to make fast starts – a trait which has proved particularly costly this season – but is now leading a major after 18 holes for the first time in his career.
But the 29-year-old American is not surrounded by the usual suspects.
Scheffler finds himself alongside German pair Martin Kaymer and Stephan Jaeger, South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, Australia’s Min-Woo Lee, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and Alex Smalley of the United States – none of whom many would have expected to see at the top of the leaderboard.
“Earlier in the week there was some chatter where people thought 15 to 20 under par was going to win. And I think that got to somebody in the PGA [of America], and they did something about it,” mentioned Spain’s Jon Rahm, who finished one under par.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy’s gameplan of bashing the driver as far as possible came unstuck late on in his round after more erratic tee-shots.
The 37-year-old from Northern Ireland, who had no issues with the troublesome toe which affected his preparations, ended seven shots behind the leaders after finishing with four successive bogeys to post a four-over 74.
“There certainly is a penalty for missing the fairway. Probably more than what I anticipated,” mentioned McIlroy.
Bryson DeChambeau, another big bomber, shot a six-over 76 as power was trumped by precision.
The unorthodox American’s short game badly let him down.
Getting to grips with the geometry of the greens was always likely to prove a key battleground and, after some overnight rain softened up the putting surfaces for the early starters, the devilish pin positions invited trouble.
DeChambeau notably found that to his cost when a feathery touch from the back of the 11th green raced his ball the 30 feet to the pin – and another 57 feet past it.
The difficult putting surfaces contributed to only one player – in-form American Patrick Reed, who is one shot off the lead – signing a card which was bogey free.
“The players underestimated the difficulty of playing this golf course from the rough and we’re not seeing a whole lot of putts holed,” mentioned former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.
Anyone wondering what had happened to European Ryder Cup hero Kaymer – who famously holed the winning putt at the Miracle of Medinah in 2012 – has not been alone.
The 2010 US PGA winner revealed his Aronimink renaissance has been fuelled by a PGA of America member asking at Tuesday’s Champions Dinner whether he was still playing professionally.
Since moving to LIV Golf in 2022, the 41-year-old German has been plagued by injuries which led to a lack of practice and elongated a run of poor form which began more than a decade ago.
“I got asked by a guy if I’m playing this week or if I’m done with golf. That really motivated me,” mentioned Kaymer, who had a short spell as world number one in 2011.
He recorded his second major success at the 2014 US Open, but has only chalked up one more top-10 finish – a tie for seventh at the 2016 PGA Championship – at the sport’s biggest events since.
This season, he has not finished higher than joint 25th in six LIV events.
However, a fast start at Aronimink – two birdies in his opening three holes – provided an encouraging platform and further boosted his confidence as he finally plays pain-free.
“Everything is going the right direction. I can practice. It’s fun. I have a great passion for the game,” he mentioned.
“Playing those tough golf courses and doing well executing the golf shots the right way, that is really fun. I look forward to hopefully have another three good days.”
More to follow.
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