Top Golfers Face Unexpected Challenges at PGA Championship
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a surprising twist at the PGA Championship’s opening round at Quail Hollow Club, the top three golfers in the world found themselves in an unusual predicament. The trio, consisting of World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, and defending PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, each made a double-bogey 6 on the par-4 16th hole. This was their seventh hole of the day, having started on the back nine.
As Scheffler put it, “I kept the honor after making a double. Probably the first and last time that’ll happen in my career, unless we get some crazy weather conditions.”
Despite the setback, Scheffler managed to recover, posting a 2-under 33 on the front nine, tying for 14th at 2 under as he left the course. Schauffele, on the other hand, picked up a birdie on No. 8 and was tied for 60th at 1 over. McIlroy, however, carded two more bogeys, leaving him tied for 85th at 3 over.
Leading the pack midway through Thursday afternoon was Ryan Gerard at 5-under. Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup team captain Luke Donald, 47, was among four players tied for second at 4-under.
The Challenge of the 16th Hole
The 535-yard 16th hole, the longest par-4 on the course, proved to be a formidable challenge for these top golfers. McIlroy, who recently completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, had a particularly adventurous time on the 16th. His 331-yard drive hooked wildly into the trees on the left, and the ball was saved from water only by the extra-long rough due to recent rain.
McIlroy’s second shot was awkward, as his back foot slipped, sending the ball just 65 feet onto another hill. His third shot from 206 yards fell short and right of the green, forcing him to hit his fourth over a greenside bunker. He then two-putted from 12 feet for a double-bogey 6. Notably, McIlroy, a four-time winner of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, hit only four of 14 fairways and lost 2.34 strokes to the field in putting.
Scheffler’s Muddy Dilemma
Scheffler, coming off an eagle on the par-5 15th after a 35½-foot putt from off the green, gave those two strokes back when his second shot hooked into the pond behind the 16th green. He noted that his ball was covered in mud, a result of the approximately 4 inches of rain that had fallen on the course that week.
The PGA of America decided against playing with preferred lies, which would have allowed players to lift, clean, and place their balls within a designated area. Scheffler expressed his frustration, saying, “I understand it’s part of the game, but there’s nothing more frustrating for a player. You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes.”
In response, the PGA of America stated, “The playing surfaces are outstanding and are drying by the hour. We are mowing the fairways this evening.”
Scheffler, left on the short side after a drop, had to chip 52 feet past the hole and make a 7-footer for double-bogey 6. According to Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first time Scheffler had made a double bogey (or worse) in the first round of a major championship.
Schauffele’s Frustration
Schauffele, after a 323-yard drive into the fairway, nearly mirrored Scheffler’s shot on his approach. He chipped 39 feet past the hole after a drop and two-putted for 6. Reflecting on the situation, Schauffele said, “We were in the middle of the fairway, and I don’t know, we had to aim right of the grandstands probably. I’m not sure. I aimed right of the bunker, and it whipped in the water, and Scottie whipped it in the water, as well. It is what it is, and a lot of guys are dealing with it, but it’s just unfortunate to be hitting good shots and to pay them off that way. It’s kind of stupid.”
Schauffele also expressed concern that the conditions might worsen as temperatures rise over the weekend, saying, “The mud balls are going to get worse. They’re going to get worse as the plays dries up. They’re going to get in that perfect cake zone to where it’s kind of muddy underneath and then picking up mud on the way through.”
- Scottie Scheffler: Tied for 14th at 2 under
- Xander Schauffele: Tied for 60th at 1 over
- Rory McIlroy: Tied for 85th at 3 over
- Ryan Gerard: Overall leader at 5-under
- Luke Donald: Tied for second at 4-under
Originally Written by: Mark Schlabach
