Xander Schauffele’s quest to win his first major title got off to a great start when the 30-year-old Californian shot a record-breaking 62 to lead the PGA Championship field at Valhalla by three shots.
The World No.3 fired nine birdies in an even par 31 to move to 9 under par, and break the course record of 63 set by José Maria Olazabal in 2010. It also matched the best score of any major tournament in history, a record that was also set at last year’s US Open.
“I’ll take a 62 over any big dog any day,” said Schauffele, who has recorded a top-20 score in his last 12 majors. “Not winning makes you want to win more, as strange as that is. For me, at least, I respond to it, and I want more and more, and it makes me want to work harder and harder and harder. The top feels far away and I feel like I have a lot of work to do.”
The ‘top’ is currently held, world-wise, by Scottie Scheffler, who just watched the birth of his son last week, and is five shots behind Schauffele after opening with a 4-under 67 that puts him in 12th place.
Schauffele, who has only one top 10 finish this year, entered the tournament after being beaten 2 by Rory McIlroy in the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, but the loss served as motivation. factor and helped him take a four-shot lead over the Northern Irishman, who opened the defense of his 2014 PGA Championship victory at Valhalla with a respectable 66, which saw him tied for fifth.
“I thought I got a lot out of my game today,” said McIlroy, who took the water twice in a round he described as a ‘scrappy’ game. “I’m not happy with the way I played, but at least I’m happy with the points.”
Starting on the par-five 10th, McIlroy opened with a birdie, and added another on 13, his fourth, before dropping a shot on the par-4 17th to reach the turn in 35. After piloting the birds for the first time, his circuit caught fire. on the 5th, his 14th, with a run of three consecutive birdies that saw him complete the back 9 in 31st.
Sahith Theegala and Tony Finau are one shot ahead of McIlroy at six under, while five players – Bob MacIntyre, Tom Kim, Thomas Detry, Collin Morikawa and Tom Hoge – all match McIlroy’s score.
Defending champion Brooks Koepka is well placed at 4-under, while Viktor Hovland has pulled back in time to match his 68, seeing the Norwegian sit alongside the American as, like Schauffele, he looks to add his name to the big record books. . .
Tiger Woods, a hard-to-watch sidekick at every major tournament these days, was 16 under par through 16 holes before carding his last two holes for 72-over, which put him in a tie for 85th. Once again, the 15-time major champion blamed a lack of practice for the game for not scoring better goals, but if he can’t put in the tournament hours it’s hard to see how the 48-year-old will break through. this cycle of events.
“I’m really strong,” Woods said. “It’s just that I don’t play many competitive rounds. I haven’t played since the Masters. So, it’s a little bit different than being at home and playing the flat Florida courses.”
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