Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, provided a thrilling opening round at the US PGA Championship on Thursday. It was the marvelous day by Jhonattan Vegas that neared him to the surface of the leaderboard. Encabo finished the day at an impressive seven under par, birdieing five of his last six holes. Such performance puts him two strokes ahead of his closest rivals, American Ryan Gerard and Australian Cam Davis.
PGA Tour Quail Hollow four-time-winner Rory McIlroy had a disappointing day that left him frustrated by the end. He ended up with a humiliating three-over-par 74, putting him ten strokes off the lead. McIlroy’s round got off on the right foot as he made an opening birdie on No. But he soon lost all of that momentum when he three-putted for bogey on 11 green. This seemed unlikely after he mustered only two birdies over the round, not exactly the kind of offensive output you’d expect from a player with his pedigree.
Plenty of big names were among those who opened with a three-under 68 and ended the day tied for 10th. Those that successfully navigated them included Robert MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald. Donald, who shot a bogey-free 67, is only three shots off the lead. Here’s what he had to say about the experience of being selected to participate in this elite event.
“I’m here only because I’m captain of the European Ryder Cup team.” – Luke Donald
It’s his steady play that underscores Donald’s experience and skill. This sets him up beautifully to help galvanise his side in their quest for an unprecedentedly successful Ryder Cup campaign.
Stephan Jaeger tied Aaron Rai and Donald’s four under par total. Rai’s 67 was a strong round, highlighted by some fantastic birdies which got him back in contention with the early leaders and real contenders. At the other end of the leaderboard, Alex Smalley joined Peters in the conversation with a very respectable 67 on Thursday.
Bryson DeChambeau, known for his powerful drives and strategic gameplay, rebounded from a rocky start to card a level-par 71. His ability to overcome player adversity is an example for everyone on this elite level.
As we head into the second round, everyone will be watching closely as McIlroy tries to make up for his rocky beginning. His track record at Quail Hollow says that he’s as equipped to make a complete 180 as anyone in the field. He will need to find consistency and capitalize on scoring opportunities if he hopes to remain competitive in the tournament.
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