Adam Scott stumbles late and Jason Day struggles to take his winning form to the PGA Championship

After riding the highs of victory last week, Jason Day came back down to earth with a thud at the second major of the year.

A horror final-hole double bogey in fading light cost Adam Scott a share of the clubhouse lead as Jason Day fell flat on the opening day of the PGA Championship in New York.

After a two-hour weather delay to begin the opening day, Scott was in a greenside bunker on the 18th hole when the siren sounded to end play as darkness set in.

Allowed to finish his final hole, Scott failed to get out of the bunker with his first try, then his second just got out, missed his long par putt and walked away with a double-bogey six and a round of two-under 68.

It left the Australian two shots behind LIV rebel Bryson DeChambeau, who teed off early and carded a round of four-under 66, with Eric Cole, who only completed 14 holes, at five-under.

Jason Day couldn’t repeat his Byron Nelson heroics. Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Scott joined the leaders with a birdie on the 14th hole, missed a chance to take it outright on the 16th and then stumbled on his way in.

But his round was still eight shots better than Day, who opted not to play any practice rounds at Oak Hill Country Club as he managed his physical and mental health following his drought-breaking win at the Byron Nelson last weekend.

Day stormed home with a final round of eight-under in Texas but couldn’t manage a single birdie in his opening round at the PGA.

Starting on the 10th tee after the delay for frost, Day drove out of bounds on the 14th hole and wound up with a double-bogey six, and there was no coming back from there.

Having struggled since his move to LIV, DeChambeau revealed the extent of his dramatic weight loss included dropping 8kg in just over three weeks as he powered to the top of the leaderboard.

“It was crazy. It wasn‘t fat. It was all water weight. You know how I looked before. I was not skinny,” he said.

“It‘s helped me have more energy, first and foremost.

Lean and mean Bryson DeChambeau is the early clubhouse leader. Picture: Andy Lyons / Getty Images via AFP

“Golf, and life, always has a good way of kicking you on your you know what when you are on your high horse. It‘s nice to feel this today.”

Things weren’t all smooth for DeChambeau, however, as he struck fellow player Kenny Pigman with an errant drive from the 17th tee while Pigman was on the 18th tee.

Bryson Dechambeau just absolutely drilled Kenny Pigman with a drive.

When asked he said…Guy shouldn’t have been standing there 😂 #pgachampionshippic.twitter.com/rdtpft10Dv

— Ryley E Fitzsimmons (@ryleyfitz) May 18, 2023

Scott was the only one of seven Australians in the field to go under par on a tough opening day.

Cameron Davis was the next best at one-over par, with British Open champ Cameron Smith a shot further back.

Min Woo Lee finished at three-over, Lucas Herbert was at five-over, while major debutant David Micheluzzi’s opening round didn’t go to plan, carding seven bogeys to be seven-over when his round was ended with three holes to play.

LEADERBOARD

5-under Eric Cole (after 14 holes)

4-under Bryson DeChambeau

3-under Dustin Johnson, Corey Connors, Scottie Scheffler

2-under Ryan Fox Keegan Bradley, Adam Scott, Viktor Hovland

OTHER AUSSIES

1-over Cam Davis

2-over Cam Smith

3-over Min Woo Lee

5-over Lucas Herbert

6-over Jason Day,

7-over David Micheluzzi (after 15 holes)

Originally published as Adam Scott stumbles late and Jason Day struggles to take his winning form to the PGA Championship