LIVE: PGA CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD UPDATES
Rory McIlroy endured an opening round to forget at the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.
Despite teeing it up at one of his favourite venues in the world, reigning Masters champion McIlroy endured a miserable start to his week.
McIlroy, who is looking to become the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2015 to win the first two majors of the season, had a rare bad day with the driver and it all led to a dismal first round of 3-over 74.
The Northern Irishman now has an awful lot of work to do on Friday to not just get back in the mix for a third career PGA Championship, but to just make the weekend.
World No.1 and tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler also did not have his best stuff out there in the opening round, but the two-time Masters champion recovered well coming home with two birdies on the final three holes to post a solid 2-under 69.
The third member of the marquee group Xander Schauffele also experienced a tough day in Charlotte, and the defending champion went round in a 1-over 72.
After the round, Scheffler fumed at the PGA of America's decision to not play preferred lies despite three days of heavy rain in the lead up to the PGA Championship.
Scheffler - and the rest of the field for that matter - noticed a number of 'mud balls' during the first round.
The man they all have to catch after the first 18 holes is Jhonattan Vegas, who birdied five of his last six holes to fire a 7-under 64.
Vegas, who is seeking a first major title, finds himself two shots clear of Ryan Gerard and Cameron Davis.
Luke Donald is also in the mix for a first major title at 4-under par alongside Stephan Jaeger, Aaron Rai, last week's winner Ryan Fox and Alex Smalley, who made it into the field at the last moment when Sahith Theegala withdrew through injury.
European Ryder Cup captain Donald, 47, was incredibly the only player in the field to go round without a bogey in the first round.
Jhonattan Vegas | -7 |
Cam Davis | -5 |
Ryan Gerard | -5 |
Luke Donald | -4 |
Ryan Fox | -4 |
Alex Smalley | -4 |
Stephan Jaeger | -4 |
Aaron Rai | -4 |
Tyrrell Hatton | -3 |
Viktor Hovland | -2 |
Scottie Scheffler | -2 |
Tommy Fleetwood | -1 |
Jon Rahm | -1 |
Collin Morikawa | -1 |
Ludvig Aberg | -1 |
Bryson DeChambeau | Par |
Xander Schauffele | +1 |
Justin Thomas | +2 |
Rory McIlroy | +3 |
Scroll below to see how the first round played out at the 2025 PGA Championship...
T. Fleetwood -1 (4)
The Englishman teed off on the back nine a short while ago and after four steady pars the European Ryder Cup star gets his first birdie of the PGA Championship.
A gorgeous iron shot at the par-3 13th sets up a great birdie chance and he duly obliges.
McIlroy -1, Schauffele -1, Scheffler E (1)
McIlroy and Schauffele get off to the perfect start.
The defending champion's approach lands just short of the green and he knocks his chip stone dead for the easiest of birdies.
McIlroy's bump-and-run settles some 10 feet from the hole but he finds the middle of the cup.
Scheffler can't emulate his playing partners.
The sun is shining at Quail Hollow and the conditions are absolutely perfect.
Ryan Fox has found a couple more birdies and is our early leader on 3-under after five holes.
Sweden's Alex Noren is also 2-under after four.
Jon Rahm has also picked up an early birdie.
Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele have hit their opening tee shots.
It's a booming drive from McIlroy but his TP5 just trickles into the second cut of rough.
Scheffler finds the short stuff but it looks like the defending champ will have an awkward stance to contend with.
World number one Scottie Scheffler with a cracking opening drive pic.twitter.com/MqwbOXgZ43
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 15, 2025
Koepka +1 (1)
Brooks Koepka teed off at the 10th hole a moment ago and the American has already dropped a shot.
Koepka was out of position with his tee shot at the par-5 and, eventually, had a 28-foot putt to save par.
The three-time PGA Championship winner tidies up from three feet for his bogey.
The World No.1 is here.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald will be delighted with how his side is shaping up ahead of the 2025 matches at Bethpage Black.
Other than Rory McIlroy, Sepp Straka, Thomas Detry, Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland have all stepped into the winner's circle on the PGA Tour.
Whilst they haven't won this year, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood have been in good form.
Lowry finished runner-up to Straka at last week's Truist Championship.
American golfers have been utterly dominant in the PGA Championship for the last nine years.
Past champions include:
Jimmy Walker (2014)
Justin Thomas (2017, 2022)
Brooks Koepka (2018, 2019, 2023)
Phil Mickelson (2021)
Collin Morikawa (2020)
Xander Schauffele (2024)
Will this trend continue?
Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee is discussing Scottie Scheffler's chances this week.
Scheffler comes into the PGA Championship having just won a PGA Tour event by eight shots.
He is the joint-favourite to win this week alongside Rory McIlroy.
Chamblee believes that over the next decade Scheffler will establish himself as one of the greatest players of all time.
"I think anybody who beats Scottie Scheffler this week will have a real good chance of being the PGA champion," Chamblee said.
"It's normal service for Scottie. He's been here early, he came here early.
"He didn’t play last week, he took a week off, he got here early, he played nine holes yesterday.
"I saw him here this morning. He'll be ready."
Chamblee added: "There's a sense, is it the beginning of an era, or is he on a two, three year run? Or could this be a 10, 15 year run?
"In so many ways, he reminds me of Jack Nicklaus.
"The tempo of his golf swing, the high hands, the way he releases the club, and his consistency."
New Zealand's Ryan Fox earned his place in the 156-man field last week courtesy of his maiden PGA Tour win.
Fox chipped in from 50-feet to win the Myrtle Beach Classic in a three-man playoff.
He's just had the perfect start to his PGA Championship by making birdie at the par-4 1st.
Practice earlier in the week at the PGA Championship was heavily disrupted by torrential downpours.
But the weather forecast looks okay for the rest of the week, with temperatures predicted to reach around 30 degrees.
The PGA of America have clarified, though, that there are no plans to play preferred lies from the fairways.
"The playing surfaces are outstanding and are drying by the hour," a PGA of America spokesperson said.
"We are looking forward to an exciting opening round to the 107th PGA Championship."
Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy played in the final group at last month's Masters but it was the Northern Irishman who overcame a disastrous start.
McIlroy eventually defeated Justin Rose in a playoff and told reporters yesterday he still feels as though he wants to cry after he ended his major drought and completed the career grand slam.
DeChambeau told media in his news conference that he believes Quail Hollow will suit his game.
"I'm certainly going to give it my all, and I know Rory is," he said.
"Hopefully we can have another go at it again like the Masters."
Some news overnight in case you missed it.
Sahith Theegala withdrew from the PGA Championship with a neck injury.
He has been replaced in the field by first alternate Alex Smalley.
Welcome to live updates of the 2025 PGA Championship.
Play got underway at 7am local time and European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was in the first group.
Donald is playing the first two rounds of the major alongside Padraig Harrington and former champion Martin Kaymer.
Kaymer is one of 16 LIV players in the field.
You can also follow our LIV Golf leaderboard at the PGA Championship if you are that way inclined.
