As darkness descends, we wrap up this hole-by-hole report. Thanks for reading it. Please come back and join us tomorrow at some as-yet-unspecified time after 1pm. Forgive us for winging it, it’s been a long day. See you then, whenever that may be!
-5: Cole (14*)
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), D Johnson (F)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (F), Bradley (F), Scott (F)
Xander Schauffele finishes with bogey. A 72 that could have been much worse, though, after playing the first four holes in four over. Bogey for Dustin Johnson as well, the first blemish on his card on the final hole. A fine 67, though.
Tom Kim on his 6th-hole antics
Tom Kim speaks to Sky Sports ... and entertainingly fills in what happened on 6. “I think the world has seen enough already of it! … I hit it over in the mud and was trying to … I was hoping I was able to find it … I was hoping they wouldn’t show this! [huge laugh] … aw man! … I thought it was worth finding … as soon as I went in, I got my feet wet and thought it’s too late to come back from it … I wasn’t able to find my ball and there was a moment when my legs were inside the mud and I wasn’t able to get out for a minute … you see me disappear, I said I might as well go in the water and wash myself off … I took a bath in there! … I thought it would be better than just having mud … I apologise to Nike but the shirt is just completely ruined … it wasn’t that bad but the mud was getting really cold under my feet … the water wasn’t great … but I was so focused on my shot ready … [sees footage of him clambering out of the creek after his bath] … see, I got myself cleaned out … fresh there! … aw man, I’ve had better days, for sure … I was taking to Sam [his caddy] and he said I hope there were cameras … I said it’s too late in the afternoon, no-one’s going to be out here … and clearly I was wrong … you know I miss days when I played in tournaments without cameras!”
Updated
Double bogey six for Adam Scott on 18. A fine 68 yet he trudges off in a hot funk. Tony Finau meanwhile tidies up for a par. He’s back in 31 having gone out in 41! A two-over 72 that’ll feel like a complete triumph.
Wonderful scenes in the media tent, where Tom Kim’s face crumbles into hysterical laughter as he checks his phone and watches footage of the mud-related mishap that befell him on 6. This young man is a star. A hell of a golfer as well, of course, but he’s just got that special something. You have to love him. Less happy, however, is Adam Scott, who takes two to get out of a greenside bunker at 18, and stares a double straight in the face. What a way to end an otherwise fine round.
The hooter goes. Players can finish the hole they’re on.
Par for the leader Eric Cole on the par-three 5th. He remains at -5. Back on 9, Tom Kim makes par and signs for a very muddy 73.
Adam Scott batters his drive down 18. He’ll be happy to find the fairway; he’ll be even happier that he’s done so before the hooter goes for bad light. Now, having started the hole, he’ll have the option to finish it if he wants. Which he surely will, to ensure a couple of extra hours in bed.
Eric Cole birdies the par-five 4th. No surprise there, given it’s the easiest hole on the course today. But it is a surprise that the 34-year-old championship debutant is now leading the PGA! A miserable end to the round for Thomas Pieters, though, who yips a short par putt on 9 that forces him to settle for a one-under 69.
-5: Cole (13*)
-4: DeChambeau (F), Scott (16), D Johnson (15)
Tom Kim, his trousers caked in mud and rolled up to his knees, nearly birdies 7. He remains at +3. Holes 6 and 7 are called Double Trouble and Creek’s Elbow, by the way. It’s way too late for zingers, so thank goodness they write themselves.
Tom Kim appears to be going all out for his social-media bonus. He goes after his ball in deep reeds down the side of 6, only to take an accidental tumble into thick mud by Allens Creek. He covers himself in it, trousers and shoes soaked through, filth all over the front of his shirt. Then he takes a second, deliberate dip in the creek to clean himself up as much as he can! Like a silent-movie version of Jean van de Velde. A smile on his face all the time … and he limits the damage to bogey! That is absurd, and a meme waiting to happen. You have to love Tom Kim.
Updated
A fine up and down from the back of 14 by Dustin Johnson. That’s salvaged a par after a dreadful tee shot. He remains at -4, alongside new co-leader Eric Cole, who birdies 3. But never mind any of that, because …
Tony Finau can’t be stopped! He swishes his tee shot at the par-three 15th pin high, then rakes in a 30-footer for his third birdie in a row, and his fourth in five holes! He’s back to +2 and right in the mix again! This is astonishing. His playing partner Adam Scott satisfies himself with a two-putt par to remain at -4. And back on 14, someone else is on the comeback trail: Xander Schauffele, who played the first three holes in four over par, but has since birdied 7, 12 and now 14 to get himself back to +1. It’s a very strange game, golf. It’s why it’s so addictive.
Eric Cole rises to -3 with birdie at 2. Justin Rose bogeys 11 to slip to -1. And there’s trouble for Dustin Johnson on 14: he hooks a 3-wood (for safety!) into the trees down the left, then sends his second over the back. A big up and down coming up.
Another birdie for Tony Finau! He matches his playing partner Adam Scott shot for shot on 14: a drive into the bunker, a splash out close, a tidy putt. He’s back to +3, and this is turning into a fine comeback. Meanwhile bogey for Thomas Pieters at 7, and he slips back to -2.
-4: DeChambeau (F), Scott (14), D Johnson (13)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F)
Michael Block, one of the ‘PGA Team of 20’ club professionals in the field this week, signs for a level-par 70. What a performance from the 46-year-old from California, who came back in 34 strokes after birdies at 12, 13 and 16.
A third birdie in four holes for Dustin Johnson, this time at the par-five 13th, and he joins Bryson DeChambeau in the lead. Up ahead, Adam Scott drives into the bunker at the front of the risk-and-reward 14th, then splashes aggressively from 85 feet to kick-in distance. If the genial Aussie isn’t joining the leaders in a couple of minutes, he’ll need to go away and have a long think about what he’s done. What a sand shot!
-4: DeChambeau (F), D Johnson (13)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Pieters (15*), Scott (13)
A walk and talk with Tony Finau. “The only good thing about not scoring early is that there’s a lot of golf in front of me … it’s nice to rattle off a couple of birdies to get some mojo going … I’m just gonna throw my sweater back on.” Can’t blame Finau, who is in the middle of a shift with other things to think about … but not entirely sure how long this innovation is going to last.
Updated
Tony Finau continues to nudge his way back up the leaderboard. A second birdie in three holes, this time at the par-five 13th, and he’s +4, despite it all. Birdie meanwhile for Thomas Pieters, who bundles his second into the heart of 6, using the camber of the green to gather his ball to 12 feet. In goes the putt, and he joins the group at -3.
Dustin Johnson is on the charge! He drains a 30-footer up 12, and that’s his third birdie in six holes. No bogeys on his card either. He’s -3. Meanwhile Tom Kim nearly holes out from 100 yards at 4; the hipsters’ long shot gets back to +2.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Scott (12), D Johnson (12)
Justin Rose continues to scrap. He sends a forensic iron straight at the flag on 9, and tickles the downhill ten-footer that remains in for birdie. He’s out in 33 and back at -2.
Ewan Murray is at Oak Hill. Here’s his first day report.
An extremely needless three-putt bogey for Sepp Straka on 5. A 30-foot birdie putt left four feet short, then the par saver shoved right of the cup. He’s back to -2. Meanwhile a double bogey on 10 for one of the pre-tournament favourites, Patrick Cantlay, the result of finding Allens Creek down the right. Having already made bogey at 8, he’s +3.
A poor chip from Justin Rose at 8, and he’s handing one of those shots straight back. He’s -1, with only two pars on his card so far.
Tony Finau turned in 41 strokes. He repairs a small amount of the damage by draining a monster up 11 for birdie. However he’s still +5. Meanwhile a birdie for Sepp Straka at the par-five 4th, and the Austrian returns to -3. Birdie for Justin Rose at 7, which means he’s repaired the double-bogey damage in just two holes. And another birdie for Dustin Johnson, who won on the LIV tour last week and is going along nicely here too. This one’s courtesy of a carefree ten-footer at 10, and he rises to -2.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Straka (13*), Scott (11)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (F), Bradley (F), Buckley (15), Pieters (12*), D Johnson (10), Rose (7), Cole (7*)
Birdies for championship debutant Hayden Buckley at 12 and 14, and the 27-year-old from Chattanooga choo-choos all the way to -2. It’s late, I’m sorry. Speaking of which … “Morning frost might make for a long night for you,” begins Dan Hamilton, “but it’s a golfer’s best friend at this time of year in upstate New York and over the border in Ontario and Quebec. Two nights of below-freezing temperatures are diminishing early hordes of black flies and mosquitoes, making spring golf much more enjoyable.”
Thomas Pieters continues flitting between the ridiculous and the sublime. He sends a 30-foot tramliner into the cup at 3 for his second bounce-back birdie in three holes. Once again he’s -2, but for how much longer, one way or another? If recent behaviour is anything to go by, not very much.
Bounce-back birdie for Adam Scott! After another booming drive / gentle wedge combo, he picks up a stroke at 10 to return to -3. Also moving up the leaderboard: Eric Cole, who nearly won the Honda Classic back in February, and is playing in the PGA Championship for the first time. The 34-year-old late bloomer cards back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to rise to -2. Cole’s in the last match starting from 10 this evening. There is no way this round will be completed tonight.
South Korea already has a PGA champion: YE Yang, who became the first man to overhaul Tiger Woods on the Sunday at a major while winning in 2009. Yang is here this year, but having played the back nine in 34 strokes, has just bogeyed 1, doubled 2, and bogeyed 3 to drop to +3 in double-quick time. Some of his younger compatriots, hotly tipped this year, are also struggling. Tom Kim is +3 after 10*, Im Sung-jae is +4 through 9*, and KH Lee shot 73 earlier on. Kim Si-woo is hanging on in there a little better, though: the 2017 Players champion is +1 having played the back nine in 36.
Consistency is coming at a premium for Thomas Pieters right now. Having bounced back from bogey at 18 with birdie at 1, he now drops another shot at 2 and drops to -1.
Justin Rose missed the hole completely from a couple of feet at 5. So he’s done really well to bounce back from that utterly unnecessary double bogey with birdie at 6. He waltzes off the green with a great big smile on his face. He doesn’t seem to be playing with too much regret or inhibition. He’s -1.
… but there’s still a couple of hours of action to go at least. Adam Scott pays the penalty for a wild drive at 9. Always chasing position, he ends up with bogey and slips back to -2. Along with Sepp Straka (11*) and Thomas Pieters (10*), he’s the lowest scorer of the second wave of starters right now.
The sun will set in Rochester at 8.30pm local time today. Pretty sure the first round won’t be completed this evening. Goddamn morning frost!
Bounce-back birdie for Thomas Pieters at 1. He returns to -2. He’s one of just 17 players under par right now. There are 121 over it.
Rory McIlroy speaks to Sky. “Pretty erratic … pretty nasty … didn’t have my best stuff … I actually felt I did really well to shoot one over in the end … I played OK on the way in but will have to play a lot better than that if I’m to have a chance … I’m a little under the weather but I’m OK … it’s nice that it’s not too warm out there … nothing that a lot of vitamin C and a lot of rest will manage it … hopefully I’ll be a little better tomorrow.”
Dustin Johnson makes his first move of the day. He drains a 30-footer across 7 and rises to -1. Meanwhile up on 8, Adam Scott sends another 365-yard bomb down the track, wedges close, and is suddenly just one off the lead at -3! But a double bogey for Justin Rose on 5, the punishment for finding the deep bunker to the left of the green, then yipping a short bogey putt. Hartley Wintney’s finest drops back to -1.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Scott (8)
Updated
Bogey for Thomas Pieters at 18. He’s still played the back nine in 34 strokes, though, and remains both in red figures and the top ten.
Tony Finau hasn’t been able to arrest that awful start. He’s now followed up that aforementioned double bogey at 5 with further dropped shots at 6 and 7. That’s five shots gone in four holes, and at +5 needs something to happen quickly. Already. Sending his tee shot at 8 into thick oomska down the left won’t help much.
Putt of the day made by Pablo Larrazabal on 17. A huge 45-foot left-to-right swinger that always looks like dropping. A thing of beauty. It’s his first birdie of the day after a run of seven pars. He’s -1.
Bogey for Sepp Straka on 18. He leaves his second stuck on the side of a rough-strewn bank, short-sided, and can’t get close with his delicate chip up. His first backward step of the day, and he slips down to -2.
Updated
Another birdie for Justin Rose! He whistles his tee shot at the par-three 3rd to ten feet, and makes no mistake with the putt. He’s -2. He could – should – soon be joined there by Adam Scott, who takes advantage of the wind blowing down 6 to send his drive 365 yards. He wedges his second from 130 yards to four feet, and yes, in it goes. A few of the afternoon starters are beginning to make their move.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Straka (8*)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (F), Bradley (F), Pieters (8*), Scott (6), Rose (3)
Brooks versus Patrick Cantlay would be the most entertaining LIV v PGA pairing in the last group on Sunday, by any available comedic metric, or sliding scale of amusement. Of course it would, given the two-speed narrative of the Masters. Fingers crossed, though Koepka shot 72 earlier today, while Cantlay is just (just!) level par through four holes. But there’s a long way to go.
The Masters ended up as a PGA v LIV battle between Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka. Any chance of a similar dynamic this week? Of course there is, with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler currently leading the way. There’s some LIV backup coming over the hill, too, with new recruit Thomas Pieters making birdies at 13 and 16 to move to -2, just two behind. Whatever your view on the tour brouhaha, you can’t say it hasn’t added a little extra spice.
Tony Finau was another player hotly tipped to make his major breakthrough this week. But he’s already in a spot of bother. Bogey at 4, followed by double at the par-three 5th, the result of sending his tee shot into thick rough to the left of the green, then failing to dig it out. A second attempt doesn’t go close, and two putts later he’s +3.
Tyrrell Hatton has been in hot form recently. He might be in a hot mood right now, however, having opened with a bogey followed by a double at 2. He’s +3 in the blink of an eye. But a fast start for his compatriot Justin Rose, who pours in a 15-footer at 1 to move into red figures immediately. A long birdie effort nearly drops at 2, as well, but -1 is where he remains, and a most acceptable start by the 2013 US Open winner.
Updated
Sepp Straka became the first Austrian to win on the PGA Tour last year, pipping Shane Lowry to the Honda Classic. The 30-year-old’s record in the majors is dismal, though, with a tie for 28th at the 2019 US Open his best return. But he’s started strongly here this afternoon. Birdies at 10 and 12, then a booming 367-yard drive down 16, followed by a wedge to three feet, and all of a sudden he’s the one hot property of the later starters out there on the course right now.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F), Straka (7*)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (F), Bradley (F)
It was a poor day for the reigning US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. A 76 and while he’s not down among the dead men – nobody will be writing off Jon Rahm, also +6, quite yet, for example – he’ll really have to go some to recover. Just a steady shedding of shots, and no birdies.
The third member of that DeChambeau-Bradley group is coming off a fantastic week. Jason Day won the Byron Nelson last Sunday, his first Tour win in over five years. But an emotional victory, on Mother’s Day in the wake of losing his own, seems to have taken a toll. A six-over round of 76, and the 35-year-old Aussie won’t be adding to his 2016 title this year.
DeChambeau shoots 66
Bryson finds the centre of the 9th in two fuss-free strokes. He’s got a 25-footer uphill for birdie, but seriously underhits it, leaving an unnecessary three-foot knee-knocker. But in it pops, and he’s leading the PGA Championship right now. That’s a brilliant round of 66. His playing partner Keegan Bradley meanwhile finishes with a bogey, but he’ll be happy enough with his 68.
-4: DeChambeau (F)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (F), Straka (6*)
Adam Scott is in good form at the moment. He demonstrates that by arrowing his tee shot at the long par-three 3rd to six feet. In goes the putt, and that’s only the eighth birdie of the day on this difficult hole. The 2013 Masters champion is -1.
A terrible start to the round by Xander Schauffele. Bogey at 1, followed by a complete mess at the par-four 2nd: a chip bladed through the green and down a swale, two efforts to get back up, and a putt for double bogey. He’s +3 in short order.
Mickelson powers his second at the 1st into the heart of the green. No mean feat from the deep rough. Two putts later and the nearly-53-year-old walks off with his par. Also happy with par: Bryson DeChambeau on 8, after lagging a 72-foot putt to kick-in distance. He stays one clear at the top at -4.
Callum Tarren gets up and down from 70 yards on 18. It’s only for bogey, but it limits the damage, especially after dropping a shot on the previous hole, and the 32-year-old from Darlington ends with a very creditable 71. He’s +1. A disappointing finish to his round, but he’ll feel a whole lot better having given a potential double the bodyswerve.
Here comes Lefty! Phil Mickelson is back at the PGA, in which he’s teeing it up for the 30th time. His opening drive is a big slice into bother down the left. One way or another, he’s not a man who will die wondering. Back on 7, a break for Keegan Bradley, whose second nestles between two bunkers. His chip is overly aggressive and he’s fortunate again when he clatters the flagstick. He’s left with a six-footer for par instead of a chip … but he can’t make the putt. A bogey drops him back to -3. DeChambeau meanwhile is snookered by the bunker, rather than in it, but he loops over the flag to eight feet before making the par saver. That’s one hell of an up and down. The 2020 US Open champion now leads on his own.
-4: DeChambeau (16*)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conenrs (F), Bradley (16*)
Cam Smith closes with a bogey. The Open champion ends the day having taken 72 lashes. Meanwhile I probably shouldn’t have mentioned the Bradley-DeChambeau inspiration thing, because now, DeChambeau having found sand down one side of 7, Bradley does the same down the other. Apologies to both for rattling the golfing gods.
Keegan Bradley and Bryson DeChambeau are going round together, and giving each other plenty of inspiration. DeChambeau sticks an approach dead at 6 for a kick-in birdie; Bradley matches his score and the pair leap into a share of the lead. But there’s trouble afoot for Bryson on 7 as he sends his second into a deep bunker front right. Not a lot of green to work with from there.
-4: Bradley (15*), DeChambeau (15*)
-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F)
The last two holes of Jordan Spieth’s round: birdie at 8, bogey at 9. His form in microcosm, and he signs for a 73. He’s +3. Par for his playing partner Victor Hovland, who is sat nicely at -2 after his 68. Completing the group, Shane Lowry, who bogeys for a 73. The 2019 Open champion never really recovered his equilibrium after thinning a bunker shot through the short par-four 14th, then nearly sending his following shot back into the same trap. Plenty of curse words after that, let me tell you.
Kazuki Higa flew out of the blocks this morning. A birdie putt lipped out at 10, but then he made four of them on consecutive holes between 11 and 14. Since reaching the heady heights of -4, however, it was all downhill again: a bogey at 17, then a nightmare end to his round: double at 6, then bogeys at 7, 8 and 9. The world number 99 would have almost certainly taken a 72 at the start of play, but he won’t feel so good signing his name to one now. He’s +2.
Birdie for Jon Rahm at 8. Only problem for the Masters champion being, the previous two holes saw him make bogey and double bogey. Throw in the way his game unravelled around the turn – bogeys at 16, 17, 18, 2 and 3 – and the world number one is +6. The grand slam, the longest of long shots at the best of times, looks a proper pipe dream already.
It was a disappointing end to Brooks Koepka’s round. The 2018 and 2019 champion sent his approach at 9 into a bunker, and he couldn’t make the sandy save. He ended up signing for a two-over 72.
A par up 9 for Rory McIlroy, and he’ll feel pretty good about his 71 given where he was on 2, standing at the bottom of a swale staring bogey or worse in the face. One outrageous 37-foot putt up the hill later, he’d saved his par, since when he’s picked up a couple of shots. He’s +1, a shot better off than his playing partner, the defending champion Justin Thomas, who follows up his double at 6 with a closing bogey. He’s +2. The third member of the match, Collin Morikawa, ends up with a 71 as well, unable to salvage par from an awkward position nestled up against the collar of the green. Just the one shot between them all, but it’s McIlroy who finished the day with the wind at his back.
67 for Conners
A quiet par-par end to Corey Conners’ round. The Canadian signs for a 67 and a current share of the early clubhouse lead. He’s -3. Meanwhile Jordan Spieth finally moves in the right direction again, steering in a gentle right-to-left slider from 12 feet on 8 for his first birdie since his fourth hole of the day. He’s +2 again and high-fives his caddy Michael Greller accordingly.
Frustration for Sahith Theegala on 18. A short par putt lips out, and he’s finished a previously promising round with three straight bogeys. He ends up signing for a one-over 71, having once been three under for his round.
67 for Scheffler
A birdie for the newly svelte Bryson DeChambeau at the par-five 4th. He joins the leaders at -3, though Scottie Scheffler briefly threatens to pull ahead again, but his 15-foot birdie effort on 9 lips out. He nearly drops his putter onto the top of his head during a contortion of frustration, but settles down quickly enough and signs for a brilliant 67. His first bogey-free round in a major.
Rory McIlroy grabs back that shot he dropped at 5. He darts his approach at 8 from 134 yards to six feet. He knocks the birdie putt into the centre of the cup and moves back to +1. Given the state his game, and perhaps his noggin, was in when he stood at the bottom of that swale behind 2, putter in hand, a round of 71 would be one hell of an achievement and something to build on for the rest of the week. He’s one par away from a huge confidence boost.
Thanks Luke. That’s a decent round of 68 by Ryan Fox. Just the ten players under par, and two of those have only just started their rounds. It’s been testing all right.
-3: Scheffler (17*), Conners (17), Bradley (12*)
-2: Fox (F), Hovland (15*), DeChambeau (12*)
-1: Tarren (15), Suh (13), Kaewkanjana (2*), Buckley (2)
Well, Rory McIlroy is neither at the top of the leaderboard nor at the bottom, but he is two over par after 15 holes and tied 28th. Not exactly flying … Conners, Scheffler and Bradley are the co-leaders at three under. Now, Scott Murray is back and ready to take you through the rest of this first round. Over to you Scott.
Updated
Rahm drops another shot and he’s five over. Not good.
Scheffler, who is getting his work done unfussily and impressively, rolls in a birdie putt at the eighth to nab a share of the lead on three under.
The commentator tells us he’s never had a bogey-free round during his career at the majors … and now he’s just one hole away from achieving the feat.
Rory McIlroy rolls in for a par and is two over.
Updated
Jon Rahm is having a poor day so far and is four over through 12 holes.
In other news, Keegan Bradley has birdied three out of four holes to earn a share of the lead on three under … including this belter:
Going right at it with @Keegan_Bradley 🎯pic.twitter.com/wnbUdD9lQ4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 18, 2023
Hovland misses a long par putt at the sixth, directing it quite a bit to the right, and he (like Conners) will drop a shot. So Conners will be the outright leader on three under.
Conners misses that putt and drops back to three under. So Conners and Hovland are the co-leaders at three under.
Hovland, meanwhile, hits a miraculous third shot after (I think) having to drop somewhere difficult after going in the water.
At the 15th, our outright leader Conners has a tricky chip from behind the same bunker that Theegala just chipped out of … he hits a decent enough shot but leaves it about 10 or 12 feet short.
Hovland, meanwhile, I think has put his tee shot in the drink from the sixth tee.
Updated
Scottie Scheffler, wearing the maillot jaune, hits a good curling putt at the seventh, his 15th hole of the day. But it comes up just short and that will be par. Theegala does indeed miss that putt at 15 after an indifferent bunker shot and drops back to one under.
Updated
On commentary, Paul McGinley says DeChambeau has gone from skinny, to big, back to skinny again. He says Darren Clarke was the same and he used to have about four wardrobes depending on his weight. I think Clarke probably did a bit less gym work than DeChambeau.
Theegala is in a spot of bother at 15. He chips out of a greenside bunker but leaves it well short and has plenty of work to do for his par. Looking likely to drop back from two under.
Hovland, Conners and Fox and now all tied at three under par atop the leaderboard … but no! Conners rolls in an excellent 30-foot putt on the 15th, and he is four under par and clear of the chasing pack, with three holes remaining of his first round. Conners has three birdies in four holes.
Updated
An impressive par putt from Scheffler at the sixth, despite the fact he drove his first shot into a sand trap. He’s two under par.
I’m struggling to find a reliable source for the leaderboard here. The official website leaderboard appears to be quite a long way behind, and the one via Google doesn’t look right. Do email me with your US PGA leaderboard of choice. They would not tolerate this at Augusta, they really wouldn’t.
Updated
McIlroy misses a par putt, and drops back to five shots off the lead, spoiling that momentum he was starting to pick up. Where will he be when Scott’s back from his break?
Viktor Hovland now joins Fox on three under par at the top of the leaderboard, while Bryson DeChambeau is up to two under par, through 10.
Updated
Ryan Fox comes within millimetres of chipping in his second at the 16th … then he fluffs an incredibly short birdie putt, and taps in for par, looking a bit sheepish, as well he might. “He just needs to finish the round off now,” says Ewen Murray in the commentary box.
Thanks Scott. Here we are then. The sun is shining at … where are we again? Oak Hill Country Club, that’s it.
Sky Sports are replaying some of the round’s greatest hits thus far, including a couple of cracking iron shots by Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners.
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler rolls in a birdie putt to move to two under par. So he joins the group on two under, that also includes Conners, Hovland and Theegala, behind the outright leader Fox on three under.
Updated
McIlroy’s eagle putt is always missing on the high side. But a tap-in birdie will more than suffice, and suddenly the shoulders aren’t slumped and there’s that Roryesque spring in his step again. Facing dropping down the standings to +4 or worse, he’s suddenly got himself back to +1. This is why, despite all the wild inconsistencies, and eight years of major-championship near-misses, the man’s still box office. One way or another, you can’t take your eyes off him.
With that, I’m leaping out of the hot seat to make room for Luke McLaughlin. See you again in an hour, at which point Rory could be leading or propping up the entire leaderboard. It’s all part of his charm.
Speaking of Rory, here’s how he’s suddenly sparked into life. That par saver from the bottom of the swale on 2 was a once-in-a-blue-moon 37-foot rattle. He’s since hit closest to the pin on 3 for birdie, and now hit the longest drive of the day down the long par-five 4th, a 347-yard fairway-splitter. He creams his second into the heart of the green, and will have a look at eagle from 30 feet or so. Meanwhile Jon Rahm tidies up for his bogey at 2 to slip to +3, while Keegan Bradley drains a monster across 18 to get back into red figures at -1.
Another dropped shot for Jordan Spieth, this time at 3. At +3 the career-slam dreams aren’t yet over for another year, but his putter is stone cold. Meanwhile back on 2, Jon Rahm sends his approach over the back from the centre of the fairway, then watches in horror as his chip up from Rory’s Swale rolls back to his feet. He pulls out the putter second time round, and gets up onto the green, but only just, if nothing else proving just how magical McIlroy’s putt was. He’ll need to steer in an eight-footer for bogey.
That’s golf! (pt.XXXVIII in a continuing series) Ryan Fox had been Mr Consistent, until flaying his tee shot at the risk-or-reward short par-four 14th into deep trouble down the right. But he flicks a wedge through a small window in the trees, bumping his ball onto the fringe to the right of the green. From where – of course he does – he rams home a putt for the unlikeliest of birdies and sole ownership of the lead!
-3: Fox (14)
-2: Conners (13), Hovland (11*)
Perhaps that absurd par-saving putt from the bottom of the swale at 2 has revitalised Rory McIlroy! Because he arrows his iron at the par-three 3rd to a couple of feet, and tidies up for his first birdie of the day. He’s +2, and for all his travails, is suddenly just four shots off the lead. Once more with feeling: that’s golf!
It’s fluid all right. Viktor Hovland rakes one across 2 and the birdie gives him a share of the lead. Meanwhile Kazuki Higa’s round continues to unravel, with bogey at 7. Having risen as high as -4, he’s back to level par.
-2: Fox (13), Conners (12), Hovland (11*)
-1: Theegala (13), Scheffler (12*), Thomas (11*), Tarren (10), McNealy (8*), Suh (8)
While all that bedlam was going on, Corey Conners nearly holed out from 100 yards at 12. He taps in for a birdie that brings him up to -2 alongside Ryan Fox and Sahith Theegala … and then Theegala fails to get up and down from the side of 13 for a second consecutive bogey, and it’s all change at the top again. It’s extremely fluid at the top of the leaderboard, with the only constant seemingly the 36-year-old Kiwi Fox, who has parred seven and birdied one of his last eight holes.
… McIlroy elects to putt up the slope rather than chip. And he judges it perfectly! The ball only just gets up and over the crest of the hill, but then rolls out and grabs the right-hand edge of the cup, dropping and sending the crowd into raptures! He shrugs at his caddy, which is the correct reaction to the absurdity of golf. From the ridiculous to the sublime! Could that kick-start him back into action? My word, he needed that. He remains at +3!
A double-bogey six for Jordan Spieth on 1. That’s punishment for hooking his tee shot up against the face of a bunker, after which he was always chasing position. He’s +2, and the career-slam-chasing Texan flings his ball away more in disappointment than frustration. Meanwhile similar bother awaits Rory McIlroy, who takes a fairway wood from the 2nd tee for position, then sends his ball into the thick rough anyway. He powers towards the front of the green, only to send his third down the swale to the back. He’s in proper bother here, given he’s already +3. But then …
The wind is picking up at Oak Hill. As though the course wasn’t playing tough enough. Send anything into the rough, and par suddenly becomes a proper job of work. So if you’re going to miss fairways and greens, bunkers are best, a fact illustrated by Callum Tarren at 10. He finds a fairway bunker down the left, then another guarding front right of the green, before splashing out from 70 feet to kick-in distance. So close to holing out for a birdie that would have given him a share. He remains one behind at -1.
… and as quickly as Sahith Theegala finds himself sole leader, he drops a shot himself, pulling a six-footer for par on 12. Meanwhile JT and Rory make their pars at 1 to remain at -1 and +3 respectively. This course is playing like an old-school US Open all right.
-2: Fox (13), Theegala (12)
-1: Higa (15*), Conners (11), Scheffler (10*), Thomas (10*), Hovland (9*), Tarren (9), Suh (8), McNealy (7*), DeChambeau (7*), Bradley (6*)
Yes, things can change quickly in golf all right. Kazuki Higa sends his tee shot at the monster par-four 6th into bother down the left, and can only punch out from under some hanging branches. His fourth finds the green, but only 30 feet away. Two putts lead to a double bogey six, and he’s back to -1. Meanwhile on the par-three 15th, Keegan Bradley pulls his tee shot into the bunker that cost Collin Morikawa a bogey earlier, but from which Cam Smith scrambled par sensationally. The 2011 champion can’t hold the green with his blast out, and fails to chip close from the thick stuff behind the green. He misses the ten-foot putt, and that’s a painful double that knocks him back down the standings to -1 as well.
-3: Theegala (11)
-2: Fox (13)
Justin Thomas effs and jeffs as his drive at 1 heads towards the out of bounds down the right. But he gets a break, and then manufactures a draw through the trees and into the heart of the green. He’s left with two putts from 70 feet for his par, but that’s a result all told. Meanwhile his playing partner Rory McIlroy misses the fairway to the left, trudges down the hole with his head hanging, then gathers himself to power a wedge out of the cabbage to the middle of the green. He’ll have a look at birdie from 30 feet, and if that goes in … well, things can change quickly in golf, right? Poor chap needs something of a boost, so here’s hoping.
Sahith Theegala tidies up for his birdie at 11. He joins the leaders. A star-studded pack chasing them.
-3: Higa (14*), Theegala (11), Bradley (5*)
-2: Fox (12)
-1: Scheffler (9*), Conners (10), Thomas (9*), Morikawa (9*), Hovland (8*), Smith (7*), Tarren (8), McNealy (6*), Suh (6)
Jon Rahm can’t get up and down from the fringe to the side of 16, and one of the pre-tournament favourites slips back to level par. Scottie Scheffler, the other pre-tournament favourite, had completed the back nine in 34 strokes, a very tidy card that features eight pars and a birdie; he’s level par. But the man who was (let’s face it, inexplicably, given his recent form) third favourite in the betting, Rory McIlroy, can’t salvage his par on 18. That’s three shots dropped in four holes, and that’s 38 strokes over the back nine for the two-time champion. He’s +3 and it’s hard to watch him struggle like this.
Could this be the shot of the day? We’ve had some contenders already – Corey Conners at 6, Scott Stallings at 10, Viktor Hovland at 15 – but this could be the best of the lot. Sahith Theegala creams a high draw into the long par-three 11th, his ball stopping 18 inches away from the cup. So close to a most elegant ace. He’ll surely tidy up to move into a share of the lead at -3. News when we have it.
McIlroy ended up in a bunker at 18 from which he could only take a large gulp of medicine. Having splashed out, he pulls his approach left and long, but gets a huge break off the camber of the bank and his ball pings onto the green, stopping 15 feet behind the flag. A chance to scramble an unlikely par, despite being all over the shop, though he’s still got a face on. He is fuming.
Rory sends a huge slice towards the tents lining the right-hand side of the 18th hole. Steam pouring out of the lugs, he swipes wildly and indiscriminately with his driver and nearly takes out a PGA tee sign plus a nearby boom mic. Fortunately he doesn’t connect with either. Further up the hole, Gary Woodland is also feeling far from mellow, having troubled a nearby grandstand, then, upon sending his next shot onto the green, being told “There you go!” by an extremely patronising punter. Woodland will understandably demur, but that heckle was delivered with exquisite comic timing and at exactly the right cadence to get immediately under the skin. Golf is hard enough as it is.
Rory McIlroy can’t get up and down from greenside sand at 17, and that’s two strokes shipped in three holes. A steady start has turned into a poor one in double-quick time. He’s +2. But back on 15, Cam Smith responds to that egregious yip on 15 with some steely work at the par-three 16th. He pulls his tee shot into the bunker on the left, from where Collin Morikawa earlier ran up bogey. But Smith whips bravely high into the air, up over the steep face to six feet, the best that he could feasibly do. In goes the par saver, and he remains at -1.
Sahith Theegala would be a popular winner all right. The 25-year-old Californian is coming off the back of a top-ten finish at the Masters, and has started the second major of the year very well indeed. Having opened with a bogey, he’s birdied 4, 8 and now 9, hitting the turn in 33 after whisking a chip out of deep rough at the back of 9 and dribbling it down the green and into the cup. The crowd go wild but he celebrates modestly.
-3: Higa (12*), Bradley (4*)
-2: Fox (10), Theegala (9), Conners (8)
-1: Scheffler (8*), Thomas (7*), Morikawa (7*), Hovland (6*), Tarren (6), Smith (5*), Rahm (5*), Suh (5), Mernok (4*), McNealy (4*)
After three birdies in a row, it’s back-to-back bogeys for Callum Tarren. He’s fairly lucky the damage at 6 was only the one stroke, to be honest: he pulls his second towards Allens Creek and only the thick grass on the bank keeps him dry. He can’t take advantage of the break, failing to chip close, and walks off having dropped back to -1.
Keegan Bradley grabs a share of the lead with a monster putt on 13! A huge downhill right-to-left swinger for birdie. He’s -3. Corey Conners makes his third birdie in four holes with a 20-footer on 8 to move to -2. Meanwhile on 14, Cam Smith stands over an 18-inch birdie putt … only for it to horseshoe out. Wow. He gathers himself and tidies up for par. That’s a real shocker. He remains at -1.
A disappointing morning for Matt Fitzpatrick. The reigning US Open champion cards back-to-back bogeys at 13 and 14, and slips to +2. He’ll no doubt be taking that double whammy in sanguine fashion … not least because as fast as things unravel, you can always bounce back in similar speed. See the work so far of Viktor Hovland: the young Norwegian, surely a major champion in waiting, started with bogeys at 10 and 12, but has just made three in a row, the latest at 15 after arrowing his tee shot straight at a tightly-positioned flag. He’s -1.
Updated
A disappointing three-putt bogey for Callum Tarren at 5. He slips out of a share of the lead. The 2011 champion Keegan Bradley is alongside him in second, having started 3-3-3, with birdies at 10 and 12. This PGA hasn’t quite sparked into life yet … but it’s only Thursday morning, after all, and it’s intriguing if nothing else.
-3: Higa (10*)
-9: Fox (9), Tarren (5), Bradley (3*)
Harold Varner III chips in from the front of 17. It only saves his par – only! – but that keeps him in red figures at -1. Collin Morikawa can’t tickle in his downhill par putt from the fringe at 15 and he slips back to -1. Meanwhile Morikawa’s playing partner Rory McIlroy also fails to get up and down from sand, and his opening run of pars is broken by a bogey.
A big par save for the co-leader Kazuki Higa on 1. Well short of the green in two, he gets up and down to remain at -3. Up on 9, Ryan Fox joins Collin Morikawa in second spot with birdie that moves him to -2 … though how much longer will Morikawa be there alongside him? He pulls his tee shot at the par-three 15th into the bunker. Shortsided, he can only send his ball flying hysterically past the flag and onto the fringe at the back. He’ll need to make a tricky 15-footer to save his par.
Updated
Callum Tarren joins Kazuki Higa in the lead at -3! A third birdie on the bounce, this time at the par-five 4th. Meanwhile it’s back-to-back birdies for the 2020 champ Collin Morikawa, the latest at the short par-four 14th, and the top of the leaderboard suddenly has a fresh look.
-3: Higa (9*), Tarren (4)
-2: Morikawa (5*)
The shot of the day so far, by Corey Connors on the monster par-four 6th (formerly the 5th). Creamed straight at a flag tucked away on the left-hand side of the green, water to that side, from 214 yards to kick-in distance. It’s back-to-back birdies for the 31-year-old Canadian, who has three top-ten finishes at the Masters, yet very little else on his major-championship résumé. He’s -1 now. Mind you, Maverick McNealy puts in a bid of his own seconds later, whipping out of thick rough to the side of 12 and in. The 27-year-old American, who hasn’t quite delivered on his early hype, moves to -1.
Callum Tarren had a decent US Open last year, finishing in a tie for 31st at Brookline. The 32-year-old from Darlington hasn’t done much else in the majors, but starts fast this week, with birdies at 2 and 3 to grab second spot for himself. Also moving in the right direction: Scottie Scheffler, who makes a wonderful birdie on the short par-four 14th after pulling his tee shot into thick rubbish to the left of the green. With a lot of ground to cover, he whips a high lob out of the filth to ten feet, then rattles in the birdie chance with supreme confidence. He’s -1.
-3: Higa (9*)
-2: Tarren (3)
A couple of stunning bunker shots from two serious contenders. Jordan Spieth bashes out of a deep greenside trap at 13 to a couple of feet. The birdie brings him back to level par. One hole ahead, Brooks Koepka sends his tee shot into sand front-right of the green, then whips out to tap-in distance. The two-time PGA champion also moves back to level par for his round.
The Open champion Cameron Smith sends a 40-foot tramliner up the 12th green and into the cup. Right into the centre. Never missing. Meanwhile the 2020 champion Collin Morikawa birdies the par-five 13th and also moves into red figures. They’re -1. But up on 17, the leader Kazuki Higa finds thick rough down the left of the hole with his drive; always out of position, he ends up with his first bogey of the day.
-3: Higa (8*)
-1: Grillo (6*), Fox (6), Lee (6), Varner III (6*), Stallings (6*), Johnson (5), Kitayama (5), Morikawa (4*), Thomas (4*), C Smith (3*), Rahm (2*), Hodges (2), Tarren (2), Meronk (2*), Suh (1), Bradley (1*)
The par-five 13th is playing at 617 yards today. It could be set up longer later in the week, but even today, big-hitting types such as Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka can’t reach in two. Both wedge their thirds in. Koepka pulls his onto the bank at the left, but gets a huge break as the ball hops out at a right angle and stops eight feet from the cup. Scheffler’s wedge in is a bit clumsy: he doesn’t get the spin he’s after and the ball rolls ten feet past. Neither can make their birdie effort, and remain at level par and +1 respectively.
Ryan Fox is unable to get up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-three 5th, and he slips back into the pack at -1. Meanwhile the leader Kazuki Higa is able to make a sandy save, whipping delightfully out of a trap at 16 to kick-in distance. Incidentally, that chasing pack includes Colin Inglis, one of the PGA Team of 20 club pros. Inglis missed the cut last year at Southern Hills, but whatever happens from here, he’ll always be able to say he was tied for second at one point in a PGA Championship.
-4: Higa (7*)
-1: Inglis (6*), Grillo (5*), Fox (5), Lee (5), Varner III (4*), Stallings (4*), Riley (3*), Z Johnson (3), Thomas (3*), Rahm (1*), Donald (1*)
Jordan Spieth is hoping to complete the full set of major championships this week. He’s not off to the best start, following up bogey at 10 by sending his tee shot at the long par-three 11th into the bunker guarding the front. He knocks his second to eight feet, from where par’s far from a certainty … but he rolls the putt into the centre of the cup to stem the bleeding. He’s +1 and a nightmare start has just been averted.
For the third hole in a row, Brooks Koepka gets sloppy hitting into the green. This time it costs him. Having sent his second up a hillock to the side of the putting surface at 12, he can’t bump down close enough, and upon missing the putt slips back to +1. One of his playing partners, Gary Woodland, also drops a stroke after pulling a relatively short par putt. Don’t let the fast starts of Higa and Fox fool you: Oak Hill is playing like a US Open course, long and with penal rough, accuracy with the big stick a necessity. Some confirmation of that from the Sky colour man Wayne Riley: “Oak Hill will eat you up, bite you, and spit you out.”
Pretty much a perfect start to the round for Jon Rahm. Having found the fairway with a long opening drive, he wedges to 12 feet, then calmly rolls in the birdie putt. Fair to say that’s a better start to the PGA than the one he made at Augusta last month – a four-putt double bogey – and look what happened there. The rest of the field have been put on notice.
Here’s Jonny! The world number one belts a monster down 10. Up on the green, disappointing bogey starts for Viktor Hovland and career-slam-chasing Jordan Spieth. Meanwhile Ryan Fox follows birdie at 2 with another at the 617-yard par-five 4th, joining Scott Stallings in second place, a couple of strokes behind the leader, whose birdie blitz comes to an end with par at 15.
-4: Higa (6*)
-2: Fox (4), Stallings (3*)
Some outrageous nonsense from Brooks Koepka on 11. Having sent his tee shot into the gallery, he whistles his wedge through the green and just over the other side. He’s left with a delicate little bump out from thick oomska near a bunker … and of course clips it out, sending it on an inevitable journey into the cup for par. One of those shots that looked in from the moment it left the face of the club. He remains level par.
Pars for Scheffler, Koepka and Woodland at 10. Koepka follows that up by pulling an awful long iron at the 245-yard par-three 11th into the gallery. Following behind, Justin Thomas starts the defence of his title by sending his second from rough safely into the heart of the green, then draining a 30-footer for birdie. Par for Rory. Meanwhile on the subject of fast starts, here’s Kazuki Higa with yet another birdie, this time at the short par-four 14th. For the record, Higa has missed the cut in his last five starts. Now look!
-4: Higa (4*)
-2: Stallings (3*)
Kazuki Higa snatches the lead for himself outright. A fuss-free perambulation down the 13th, one of the two par-fives at Oak Hill, and a textbook birdie. The 28-year-old hasn’t won in Europe or the USA yet, but has six victories in Japan to his name, four of those coming in the last 13 months. He looks totally in control of his game, and that’s three birdies in a row.
-3: Higa (4*)
-2: Stallings (2*)
-1: Fox (3), Lee (3), Holmes (1*), Riley (1*)
Back on the 10th tee, the 2012 and 2014 winner Rory McIlroy tees it up … to the biggest cheer of the morning, it has to be said. He’s not in the greatest form at the moment – missing the cut at Augusta hit hard – but he’s always box office and the gallery has his back. He doesn’t find the fairway. Neither does the 2016 and reigning champion Justin Thomas. The 2020 champ Collin Morikawa makes it three misses out of three, spraying his out to the right. “Slept good last night, did everything I was supposed to do,” Rory tells JT as the pair set off down the hole, hands in pockets, both smiling in the relaxed fashion.
Koepka, the only member of the group to have found the fairway, ends up furthest from the flag after an extremely average wedge in. Scheffler, the wildest from the tee, sets up the best birdie chance, gouging out from the thick, wet rough to 12 feet. Pin high. Golf, eh.
The world number two Scottie Scheffler tees it up … and finds the long rough down the left of 10. Then the 2018 and 2019 champion Brooks Koepka unsheathes the driver and launches one down the right-hand side of the fairway. The final member of the group, the 2019 US Open winner Gary Woodland, follows Scheffler into the long stuff. The course is going to fill up quickly with some very big names during the next 30 minutes or so.
Updated
Kazuki Higa responds by raking a straight 35-foot birdie putt in on 12! For a second, it looks like his effort is only going to roll 35 feet minus the width of one blade of grass, stopping momentarily on the edge of the cup, but after a crowd-teasing split second, the ball starts turning again and drops. A look of high amusement spreads across Higa’s face. Less than an hour in, and the 105th PGA Championship has already dished up some top-quality entertainment.
-2: Higa (3*), Stallings (1*)
-1: Grillo (2*), Lee (1)
First birdie, first eagle
The first birdie of this year’s Championship has been made by Kazuki Higa. The 28-year-old from Japan is making his PGA Championship debut this week, and isn’t hanging around. He fires his tee shot at the long par-three 11th to 12 feet and rolls in the putt. But he’s not leading the tournament, because the first eagle of the week has been made by Scott Stallings, who holes out from 128 yards on the 10th – two little bounces by the hole then a quick spin to the left and in! The 38-year-old from Massachusetts has no major-championship record to speak of at all – his best finish was a tie for 26th in last month’s Masters – but he’s leading one now. Just another 71 holes to go.
-2: Stallings (1*)
-1: Higa (2*), Grillo (1*), Lee (1)
Updated
Micheel is going round this morning with Braden Shattuck, one of the 20 PGA club professionals in this week’s field. Shattuck sliced his opening drive into bother down the left, but recovered well to scramble his par. An opening par four for Micheel as well. Most welcome on a hole regarded by the great Ben Hogan as the hardest opening hole in golf. Anyway, while we wait for the first of this morning’s big-name starters – Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka will be teeing it up at 2.50pm BST, soon to be followed by the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Cam Smith - allow our man at Oak Hill, Ewan Murray, to set the scene.
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the 105th PGA Championship. This is the 8.50am starting time. On the tee, from Tennessee, the 2003 PGA Champion, please welcome Shaun Micheel.” And so, one hour and 50 minutes after schedule, Micheel hits the first shot of this year’s Championship. A 3-wood creamed down the middle. Hey, any old excuse to revisit the 7-iron that won him the title 20 years ago, right?
Updated
Start delayed by frost
Yes, it may be mid-May but this is upstate New York – and an overnight frost has set us back by a couple of hours. The first group will now tee off at 8.50am (1.50pm BST), with revised tee times to follow. More from PA:
Play had been scheduled to get under way at 7am local time (12pm BST), but predictions of an overnight frost proved accurate. Tournament organisers released a statement early on Thursday morning which read: “Due to frost, all Oak Hill Country Club practice facilities and the golf course are currently closed.
“To protect playing surfaces, everyone on-site must stay off any grass and gates will not open until the frost clears,” the statement added. “Starting times for round one will begin approximately 1hr and 15 minutes after practice facilities open.”
Preamble
There are two players defending the Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill this week. Well, kind of.
There’s the reigning champion Justin Thomas, of course. JT won his second PGA Championship in record fashion last year at Southern Hills, coming from seven shots back on the final day to pip Will Zalatoris in a play-off, after 71-hole leader Mito Pereira blew it by driving into the drink at the 72nd. If this week’s Sunday shenanigans are even halfway as dramatic as that, we’ll be doing pretty well for ourselves.
But there’s also Phil Mickelson. Lefty won at Kiawah Island in 2021, beating Brooks Koepka down the stretch to become the oldest major champion in history. He didn’t get to officially defend that title last year, withdrawing from the field after some injudicious LIV-inspired chat, and now that he’s back … well, of course he’s not actually defending this week, but you know how elite-level sportspeople think, and in his mind he’ll have relinquished nothing. His age (53 next month) and form on the LIV tour suggest he’s got no chance; his outrageous second-place finish at last month’s Masters argues differently.
Other golfers are available! The world number one and new Masters champion Jon Rahm; the in-form world number two Scottie Scheffler; Jordan Spieth, trying to complete the career slam; the Cams Smith and Young; the reigning US Open and recent Heritage champion Matt Fitzpatrick; the fast-shooting Brooks Koepka and his glacial-paced nemesis Patrick Cantlay (preferably in the final pairing on Sunday for some comedy fireworks, come on golfing gods, make it so); the resurgent Jason Day; a European charge by Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry or Tyrrell Hatton; some home heroics from Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Tony Finau or Collin Morikawa; a possible Korean coup courtesy of Tom Kim, Im Sung-jae or Kim Si-woo. Oh, and taking up the role of lovable but teeth-grindingly frustrating underachiever in Sergio Garcia’s absence, Rory McIlroy.
Even more golfers are available! Apologies if I’ve missed the obvious, or your favourite, but there are 156 players in the field, we’d be here all day. Instead, let’s simply be about our business. Our coverage begins at 1pm BST (8am local), the original tee times are below. The delay for the first group is just under two hours.
Starting from the 1st (all times BST) …
12pm: Shaun Micheel, Braden Shattuck, Steven Alker
12.11pm: Ben Griffin, Chris French, Joel Dahmen
12.22pm: Wyatt Worthington II, Nico Echavarria, Wyndham Clark
12.33pm: Tom Hoge, Ryan Fox, KH Lee
12.44pm: Paul Casey, Adam Svensson, Beau Hossler
12.55pm: Zach Johnson, Kurt Kitayama, Sahith Theegala
1.06pm: Corey Conners, Ockie Strydom, Joaquin Niemann
1.17pm: Kevin Kisner, Jimmy Walker, Padraig Harrington
1.28pm: Alex Noren, JT Poston, Mackenzie Hughes
1.39pm: Lee Hodges, Callum Tarren, David Lingmerth
1.50pm: Taylor Moore, Denny McCarthy, Brendan Steele
2.01pm: Jeremy Wells, Justin Suh, Adri Arnaus
2.12pm: Anthony Cordes, Mark Hubbard, Dean Burmester
5.30pm: Matt Cahill, Taylor Montgomery, Cam Davis
5.41pm: Michael Block, Hayden Buckley, Taylor Pendrith
5.52pm: Alex Beach, Brendon Todd, Sihwan Kim
6.03pm: Patrick Reed, Rasmus Hojgaard, Nick Taylor
6.14pm: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, John Somers, Chez Reavie
6.25pm: Tommy Fleetwood, Cameron Young, Hideki Matsuyama
6.36pm: Adam Scott, Max Homa, Tony Finau
6.47pm: Xander Schauffele, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson
6.58pm: Patrick Cantlay, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson
7.09pm: Alex Smalley, Russell Henley, Mito Pereira
7.20pm: Adam Hadwin, Matt Kuchar, Talor Gooch
7.31pm: Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Francesco Molinari
7.42pm: Russell Grove, Patrick Rodgers, Ben Taylor
… and from the 10th …
12.05pm: Trey Mullinax, Josh Speight, Kazuki Higa
12.16pm: Adam Schenk, Colin Inglis, Thriston Lawrence
12.27pm: Min Woo Lee, Andrew Putnam, Emiliano Grillo
12.38pm: Harold Varner III, Scott Stallings, Nicolai Hojgaard
12.49pm: Steve Holmes, Adrian Otaegui, Davis Riley
1pm: Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland
1.11pm: Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa
1.22pm: Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland
1.33pm: Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Smith
1.44pm: Luke Donald, Adrian Meronk, Yannik Paul
1.55pm: Kenny Pigman, Davis Thompson, Maverick McNealy
2.06pm: Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, Bryson DeChambeau
2.17pm: Jesse Droemer, Matt NeSmith, Rikuya Hoshino
5.25pm: Sam Ryder, Gabe Reynolds, Brandon Wu
5.36pm: Sadom Kaewkanjana, Ben Kern, Thorbjorn Olesen
5.47pm: Webb Simpson, YE Yang, Danny Willett
5.58pm: Sepp Straka, Harris English, Robert MacIntyre
6.09pm: Thomas Pieters, Keith Mitchell, Pablo Larrazabal
6.20pm: Lucas Herbert, Brian Harman, Callum Shinkwin
6.31pm: Tom Kim, Sam Burns, Abraham Ancer
6.42pm: Im Sung-jae, Chris Kirk, Seamus Power
6.53pm: Kim Si-woo, Stephan Jaeger, Anirban Lahiri
7.04pm: Victor Perez, Aaron Wise, Jordan Smith
7.15pm: Chris Sanger, JJ Spaun, David Micheluzzi
7.26pm: Thomas Detry, JJ Killeen, Matt Wallace
7.37pm: Nick Hardy, Gary Koch, Eric Cole
It’s on!
Updated
