Jhonattan Vegas Shines in PGA Championship Opener
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a surprising twist at the PGA Championship, Jhonattan Vegas delivered a stellar performance that few anticipated. While the spotlight was on big names like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Xander Schauffele, it was Vegas who stole the show with a remarkable 7-under 64. This score marked his best in 45 rounds at the majors, giving the 40-year-old Venezuelan a two-shot lead on a day full of surprises.
The day began with brilliant sunshine, a welcome change after three days of rain, drawing a full house of spectators eager for a thrilling display of golf. However, the crowd’s expectations were not met by the top-ranked players they came to see. Instead, Vegas, playing in the late afternoon, captivated those who stayed with his impressive play.
Vegas’s round was a masterclass in precision and resilience. He made two crucial par saves, followed by two short birdies, another par save, and then capped off his round with three consecutive birdies. “Incredible,” Vegas remarked when asked to summarize his round. “Any chance you get to shoot 64 at a major championship is always great.”
Equally astonishing was the absence of any of the top 10 players in the world ranking from the top 10 of the leaderboard after 18 holes, a first in at least 30 years. The largest crowds were drawn to the top three players in the world, but their performances were less than inspiring compared to their recent major victories.
McIlroy, fresh off his Masters win that completed his career Grand Slam, struggled to make birdies, finishing with a 3-over 74. He headed straight to the range without comment. Scheffler, the world No. 1, and defending PGA champion Schauffele both faced challenges, particularly with “mud balls” on tee shots, leading to double bogeys on the 16th hole. Despite this, Scheffler managed to finish with a 69, thanks to some impressive shots from off the green.
Vegas’s performance was a testament to his skill and determination. He tied for the lead by getting up-and-down from behind the green on the par-5 seventh, holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the short par-4 eighth, and ended his day with a third straight birdie on the rugged ninth hole. This marked the first time a player representing Venezuela held a lead or co-lead after any round at a major.
Behind Vegas, Ryan Gerard, a PGA Tour rookie from North Carolina, was the only other player to reach 7 under until bogeys on his last two holes. He was joined at 66 by Cam Davis of Australia. Both players, along with others like Alex Smalley and Ryan Fox, might need an introduction to casual golf fans.
- Notable Performances:
- Luke Donald, the 47-year-old Ryder Cup captain for Europe, was the only player without a bogey on his card.
- The U.S. captain, Keegan Bradley, was another shot behind.
Gerard, playing before a home crowd, looked comfortable and made a tough par on the ninth hole, followed by four straight birdies on the back nine. His 66 is tied for the third-best score to par by any golfer in his first career round at the PGA Championship since it became stroke play in 1958.
Davis, who recently ended a stretch of five straight missed cuts, had seven birdies and narrowly missed a 10-foot par putt on his last hole for the lead. “It’s just constantly trying to go back to things that have worked,” Davis said. “Good processes, good routines, all those little one percenters add up to good golf eventually.”
Other notable scores included Stephan Jaeger and Aaron Rai, both at 67, who became first-time PGA Tour winners last year. Scheffler’s 69 was the best score among the top 10 in the world.
McIlroy, a four-time winner at Quail Hollow, entered the PGA Championship with high hopes after his Masters triumph. However, a sloppy round, particularly off the tee, resulted in his highest round since a 76 in the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship in 2018. Schauffele finished with a 72 in his bid to go back-to-back in the PGA Championship.
Jordan Spieth will likely have to wait until next year at Aronimink to try for the career Grand Slam. The three-time major champion, lacking only the Wanamaker Trophy, shot 76 after three straight bogeys early on the back nine.
Bryson DeChambeau finished at even par, highlighted by a near hole-in-one at the par-3 17th. He didn’t make a birdie on any of the par-4s, just the second time in his career that’s happened at the PGA.
The field finished with a combined score to par of plus-171 on the “Green Mile” holes at Quail Hollow (Nos. 16-18), with the 16th hole playing the hardest on the course (plus-64). The stretch featured 29 total birdies compared to 27 water balls in the opening round.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.
Originally Written by: ESPN.com
