The 106th PGA Championship saw a rare upset between players as Sahith Thegala shot an impressive 65 while Xander Schauffele shot 62. Today we will discuss about PGA Championship 2024: Xander Schauffele reacts to scoring.
PGA Championship 2024: Xander Schauffele reacts to scoring
Xander Schauffele set several records during the first round of the PGA Championship as he holds a commanding three-shot lead over Tony Finau and Sahith Thegala through 18 holes.
A group of six players including Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Tom Kim and Robert McIntyre are four shots behind Schauffele.
But several other important stories developed on Day One in Valhalla, so let’s find out the winners and losers from Thursday in the Bluegrass State.
the winner:
xander schaufele
Schauffele not only set a new Valhalla course record, but he also tied the lowest score in PGA Championship history with a 9-under 62. He made nine birdies and nine pars, a clean scorecard that took him to the top of the leaderboard.
However, he has held this position many times before. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Schauffele has the lowest first-round scoring average with 69.81 for players who have appeared in 25 of them. Brooks Koepka is in second place with 70.74 points.
Now, questions revolve around Schauffele sealing the deal. He has 12 top-10 finishes in major championships but no titles to show for it. A win this week would turn his career around, give him an extra dose of confidence, and knock him off the top of the ‘best current player to never win a major’ list.
Rory McIlroy
There is a lot of drama going on in Rory McIlroy’s personal life right now, including his pending divorce and discussions surrounding the PGA Tour Policy Board.
Regardless, one has to feel for the Northern Irishman, who is experiencing a whirlwind outside the ropes.
But inside the ropes, McIlroy looks as good as ever. He carded a 5-under 66 around Valhalla on Thursday, which included six birdies and one bogey.
Known for his driving skills, McIlroy was not at his best off the tee on Thursday – even failing with his driver on 18. He managed to save par there, giving him much-needed momentum going into his second nine.
Xander Schauffele reacts to scoring
At Valhalla, the American played a sensational bogey-free round with nine birdies to take a three-point lead.
Americans Tony Finau and Sahith Thegala are tied for second at six under, one stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa and Robert McIntyre, who were among seven players to shoot five-under par 66.
Defending champion Brooks Koepka is at four under in the group with world number one Scottie Scheffler – who started in inauspicious fashion by holeing a 167-yard nine-iron for eagle-two on the opening hole.
Two-time major winner Jon Rahm recovered from a disappointing start – losing four shots in the first six holes – to post an under-par 70.
Schauffele posted only his fourth 62 at a major championship, matching both his and Rickie Fowler’s scores in the first round of last year’s US Open and Brandon Grace’s effort at the 2017 Open Championship.
All those rounds were par-70 courses. Valhalla is a par-71 course.
PGA Championship 2024: Xander Schauffele reacts to scoring
It was a near-flawless performance from the 30-year-old Californian, who started on the 10th hole and made five birdies in his first nine holes to climb to the top of the leaderboard.
“It’s a great start,” said the world No. 3, who missed a 32-foot putt on the last to shoot a 61 but still beat the course record of 63 set by Jose Maria Olazabal in 2000. defeated.
Schauffele, however, has struggled to get off to a good start and has not registered a win since winning the 2022 Scottish Open.
He dropped to tied 10th at the 2023 U.S. Open and also led through the first round at last week’s PGA Tour event at Quail Hollow, but McIlroy caught and passed him on the closing holes.
“I think it’s weird how not winning makes you want to win more,” Schauffele said. “For me, at least, I react to it, and I want it more and more.”
McIlroy, who has been in good form this week with wins in his last two PGA Tour starts, is once again in Schauffele’s rear-view mirror.
