The first round of the 106th PGA Championship featured the game’s best players fighting on the first of four days to the Wanamaker Trophy. Despite a 10-minute fog delay, the players were able to overcome that for play to begin with last year’s star, Michael Block in the opening grouping.
As the day progressed, there were some scorable holes, but also to the extent of challenging spots if golf shots were not in the right spots for the next spot. The total average score was 71.25, 0.25 shots over par as the toughest hole belonged to the par-4 second, measuring a long, 500 yards.
Here are the winners and losers from Thursday’s opening round at the PGA Championship.
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Winner: Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele made history once again Thursday, recording a bogey free 9-under 62 to break the 18-hole record at a PGA Championship. He also became the first player to post multiple rounds of 62 in major championship history after accomplishing that feat during the 2023 U.S. Open. Schauffele did not make consecutive pars until his final two holes of the day on the par-3 eighth and the par-4 ninth.
Loser: Tiger Woods
Teeing up one group behind Schauffele was the marquee group, highlighted by 15-time major champion and 4-time PGA Champion Tiger Woods. Woods did not quite have the day Schauffele had but was able to scrape his way throughout the course for a 1-over 72 where he was not on point and could not adjust to the speed of the greens. Woods made four bogeys, compared to three birdies, including giving up a stroke on each of his final two holes.
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Winner: Tony Finau
Like Schauffele, Tony Finau is one of those players who has played well enough to win a major tournament but has not. Thursday looked like Finau was on the right track to do so, carding a bogey-free 6-under 65 that was fueled by a back nine 5-under 31. Finau made three straight birdies from holes No. 13-15 when he made putts from 16, 5 and 17, respective to keep him in striking distance of Schauffele. His 65 marked his second lowest score at a major championship and one stroke behind his 64 during the third round of the 2019 Masters.
Loser: Michael Block
Last year’s star at the PGA Championship struggled Thursday. Michael Block, who had a memorable hole-in-one to finish tied for 15th last year to play this week, was part of the opening group alongside former World No. 1 Luke Donald and 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel. However, after a bogey on the opening hole, he did worse on the second by carding a quadruple bogey eight on the par-4 second where it took him six shots to get into the hole from 70 feet, going back and forth and around the cup.
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Winner: Rory McIlroy
This is the major tournament many experts said Rory McIlroy was going to win because he won on the course during the 2014 PGA Championship. Although he has not won a major since, he still delivered, posting a 5-under 66, the opening round score he had in 2014. Like Finau, McIlroy had a stretch of three consecutive birdies, leading to a 4-under 31 on the front nine, by shaving off a stroke on hole Nos. 5, 6 and 7.
Loser: Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm struggled as the first round progressed, having a roller coaster opening round. He was already playing from behind when shot 4-over through his first six holes. He was able to get one back with a birdie on the par-5 seventh. However, even when things were looking good, he took a couple steps back. He had to grind his way through the course, firing four birdies over his final six holes to get into the red numbers.
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Winner: Tracy Phillips
Every player enjoys the first time they get to participate in a major tournament, win or lose, whether or not that player is in his teens or at the end of this career. However, for 61-year-old Tracy Phillips, he is one of 20 PGA Professionals to make the PGA Championship through the PGA Professionals Championship. (Block makes 21 PGA Professionals in the field after qualifying from last year’s PGA Championship.) Phillips quit playing golf for 20 years before returning to the game in 2008 . No matter the score, the experience is unreal for Phillips, who recorded a 4-over 75.
Loser: Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson had an up and down first round. He played from behind early, shooting 3-over through hi first two holes. Although he bounced back with three birdies in a four-hole stretch, he recorded back-to-back bogeys on the par-4 15th and the par-4 16th combined with a double bogey on the final hole for a 3-over 74. With the projected cut currently at even par, players like Mickelson will have to step it up if he wants a weekend tee time at Valhalla Golf Club.
Related: A look back in time at the past PGA Championship winners, including Phil Mickelson
Winner: Tom Hoge
From the afternoon wave, one of the top scores belonged to Tom Hoge, who recorded a 5-under 66, tying his best round in a major tournament. Hoge posted eight birdies on the day, including four in a six-hole stretch by going back-to-back on Nos. 3 and 4 as well as another two-straight birdie stretch on holes No. 6 and 7. Despite shooting 1-over through his seven holes, he was able to turn things around, shooting 6-under the rest of the way to put himself into contention on the weekend.
Loser: Tom Kim
Another Tom had success in the afternoon wave in Tom Kim, who, like Hoge, tied his best score at a major championship on Thursday. Kim only missed one fairway on the day as he made four birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 7 to No. 13. Despite a bogey on the par-3 14th as a result of not hitting the green, he was able to get that stroke back with a birdie on the par-4 17th by getting his 154-yard approach to five feet.
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