Schauffele leads PGA with record round, Smith three-under after superb save

Xander Schauffele has blasted into the lead at the US PGA Championship, breaking the tournament scoring record with a nine-under-par, course record 62 in the first round at Valhalla Golf Club.

With his landmark round on Thursday, the American Olympic champion has again equalled the lowest ever round at a major championship, a record he already shared after his 62 in the first round of the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.

So the 30-year-old Californian has now become the only player in golf history with multiple rounds of 62 in majors – but he won’t be satisfied if he cannot take advantage of what looked likely halfway through the day to be the first-round lead.

“I’d say it’s very close to my best, if not it,” said Schauffele. “I’ll take a 62 in any major any day.”

Schauffele, who ended up finishing tied for 10th after that blistering US Open start, won’t be taking anything for granted once again as he was being pursued by some high-quality performers.

Tony Finau, Mark Hubbard and Sahith Theegala shot six-under 65s, with the in-form Rory McIlroy, a previous PGA winner at Valhalla, a shot further back alongside a group of seven also including two-time major winner Collin Morikawa.

Xander Schauffele says his opening-round heroics mean nothing if he is unable to go on with the job in Kentucky.Credit: Getty

Defending champion Brooks Koepka was well-placed after an opening 67, while Australian ace Cameron Smith started off with a promising three-under 68 and his LIV-playing compatriot Lucas Herbert went around in 69.

Smith’s round was highlighted by a spectacular save on the seventh – his 16th hole of the day – when the barefooted Queenslander made par from the Kentucky mud.

“I actually hit the ball quite well for probably the first 12 or 13 holes there,” Smith said.

“Kind of let go of it a little bit at the end, but everything felt really good and I managed to get a few good par saves and keep the momentum going for tomorrow.”

Cameron Smith’s three-under opener has him six shots off the lead.Credit: Getty

Seizing on the rain-softened conditions at Valhalla, Schauffele, coming off a runner-up finish last week in the Wells Fargo Championship, played the back nine in 31 and then ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch in the middle of the front nine, all the putts inside 10 feet.

His ninth and final birdie was a long two-putt on the par-5 seventh, and it helped him seal the fourth-ever round of 62 in a major, alongside Branden Grace in the 2017 British Open, at Royal Birkdale, as well as Rickie Fowler, who like him, achieved the feat at last year’s US Open.

The previous best round at the PGA was a 63, with one of those being Jose Maria Olazabal’s course record at Valhalla 10 years ago.

Schauffele, who struck Olympic gold in Tokyo and is one of the best players not yet to win a major, had nine birdies in his round and didn’t drop a shot in an immaculate display.

At his last hole, a 33-foot putt would have given him the first 61 in a major, but it slid right of the cup and he had to make a three-footer to end his round.

Tiger Woods saw another solid effort unravel near the end of his round as he carded a 72, the same disappointing opening that his veteran Australian playing partner and friend, Adam Scott, also recorded.

“That wasn’t the way I like to finish off a round,” Woods said. “Long way to go, and we’ll see what happens.”

Cameron Davis had a day to forget, carding a seven-over 78 to sit in 151st, ahead of only five players including 1991 winner John Daly (+11). Jeff Kellen of the US is last of all after a 16-over 87.

Agencies

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