LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY - MAY 16: Xander Schauffele of the United States reacts as he finishes on the ninth green during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 16, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) Photo: CHRISTIAN PETERSEN
Xander Schauffele set the early pace in the opening round of the PGA Championship, making the turn at Valhalla Golf Club with a sizzling five-under as the Olympic champion looked to atone for a shock loss at the Wells Fargo.
Schauffele, who held a final round two shot lead at Quail Hollow on Sunday before losing by five shots to Rory McIlroy, was a man on a mission in Louisville.
Playing the back nine first, the world number three enjoyed an error free start highlighted by five birdies. He made the turn one clear of Tony Finau, who was on four-under through seven.
Lurking in a group two back is Jordan Spieth, who needs a PGA Championship to complete a career grand slam.
McIlroy, coming off back-to-back PGA Tour wins, carried that momentum into the first round. He rolled in a six-footer for a birdie on his opening hole, the par five 10th, then picked up a second at the 13th to briefly join a crowd at the top of the Valhalla leaderboard.
But the Northern Irishman, who announced on Monday that he had filed for divorce, stalled after the early burst, taking a bogey at the 17th to make the turn at one-under.
Following a brief 10-minute fog delay, play got underway with crowd favourite Michael Block, the club professional who produced a feelgood story at last year's PGA Championship where he finished in a share of 15th place, hitting the first shot.
It was not looking as if Block was going to enjoy another fairytale run this year as the 47-year-old got off to a horrific start, with four bogeys through 14 holes to leave him on five-over.
New Zealand's Ryan Fox was 10 shots off the pace after carding one-over 72 in a disappointing opening round for the 37-year-old.
Ryan Fox walks on the 16th green during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on 16 May, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. Photo: Andrew Redington / Getty Images via AFP
Defending champion and LIV Golf standard bearer Brooks Koepka, bidding to become the tournament's first repeat winner since he retained the title in 2019, was on even par through nine while Tiger Woods's struggles continued sitting one further back on one-over, alongside New Zealand's Fox.
Woods, who collected one of his 15 major titles at Valhalla in 2000 with a playoff win over Bob May, struggled from the start taking a bogey on his second hole
For Woods, this was his first event since the Masters. Last month the injury-ravaged golfer had earned a tournament-record 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta National and finished last among those who played the weekend.
New dad Scheffler will be bidding for a fifth win in his last six starts. He will be among the late wave when he heads out in the company of US Open champion Wyndham Clark and British Open champion Brian Harman.
World number one Scheffler, who sat out last week's tune-up event while awaiting the birth of his son Bennett, has had 24 days off since his last round of competitive golf.
- Reuters