Players around the world seek first Major triumph
It’s that wonderful time of the year when the best players on the planet take on the challenge of winning one of the four Majors of the season. The PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Course in Pennsylvania, USA (15-18 May) has just seen 156 golfing greats do just that. And guess who is at the top of the leaderboard? Well, it is a great surprise really. What do the names Aldrich Potgieter, Stephen Jaeger, Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatune and Martin Kaymer mean to you? Not a lot perhaps. But when you ask yourself where are the Americans? The answer is that two actually crept in for a share of tie first. The good news is that Alex Smalley as well as the Official World Number One, Scottie Scheffler are up there too on a score of 3-under par 67.
Yes, who would have thought that a collection of players from South Africa, Germany, Australia, Japan and America would be leading the 108th PGA.
It’s interesting to reflect back in time. Only two players have ever had the lead or co-lead in the PGA Championship and have gone on to win it. Who had that honour? Well, two Americans actually. Tiger Woods at Southern Hills in 2007 and Brooks Koepka at Bethpage Black in 2019. Indeed, Scottie Scheffler has not had such a great start in his Majors despite playing now for his fifth Major title.
Scheffler sizzles
Despite a bogey at the par-4 4th hole, Scheffler’s round started to sizzle on the 6th where he holed an 8-footer for birdie which he followed with a 39-footer for birdie at the 7th and then again at the 10th and 11th. The 29-year old from Texas had another bogey at the par-3 14th which he snatched-back with a birdie at the par-5 16th to secure his 67 and a share of first place.
Playing in his first PGA Championship, South African Aldrich Potgieter started at the 10th hole where he suffered two bogeys at the 14th and 15th. But the 21-year old who was born in Pretoria stayed cool and went on to make birdies at the 16th, 17th, 2nd, 6th and 9th for a tantalising spot top of the leaderboard on 67.
Germany’s Stephan Jaeger from Munich soon joined him on 3-under par along with Min Woo Lee (Australia) and Ryo Hisatune (Japan).
Winner of the KLM Open in 2010 was Martin Kaymer from Germany. He was on great form at that moment as he won two Majors – the 2010 PGA Championship and the US Open of 2014. Kaymer had a birdie on the closing hole as well as three others and just one single bogey on the par-4 7th. Alas, the 41-year old player from Dusseldorf has not had a top-10 finish in a Major since a tie for 7th in the 2016 PGA Championship. So for Martin Kaymer a super round of 67 on the opening day at Aronimink was tremendous.
Seven players in a share for second
American Xander Schauffele was one of seven players in a share of second place on 68. He won his first Major in 2024, the PGA Championship, which he followed with a triumph in the Open Championship.
England’s Daniel Brown joined him on 2-under par along with Americans Sahith Theegala, Max Greyserman, and Patrick Reed. Canada’s Corey Conners and Ireland’s Shane Lowry also shot 68.
Spain’s Jon Rahm was back on-form on day one. The former number one in the world golfer shot a one-under par 69. He started at the 10th hole and then made a wonderful eagle at the par-4 2nd hole to shine in the PGA Championship.
And if you are wondering how Masters Champion Rory McIlroy is playing. Well, he has had a disastrous start. The player from Northern Ireland played the back nine in level par but alas suffered five bogeys and one birdie on the front nine to card a 4-over par 74.
The 156 players will soon be teeing-off in the second round at Aronimink Golf Course when they will be looking to make the all-important cut on their way to victory in the 108th PGA Championship. Enjoy the golf!
Wendy Hoad
Editor
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Surprise, surprise … American Scottie Scheffler squeezes in to the first-round lead of the PGA Championship.