LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The talk in the media center early Thursday morning was that a 7-under 64 was definitely in play during the first round due to the soft conditions at Valhalla Golf Club.
Xander Schauffele laughed at that notion and said “hold my birdies.”
Still searching for that ever-elusive first major win, Schauffele fired a dazzling bogey-free 9-under 62 to take a three-shot lead over Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala (more on him later) on Thursday morning in the early wave. The last person to shoot 62 in a major? That’d be Schauffele at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and it occurred just minutes after Rickie Fowler did so. Branden Grace became the first player to shoot 62 in a major at Royal Birkdale in the third round of the 2017 Open Championship.
PGA: Tournament hub | Friday tee times | Photos
All that said, Schauffele wasn’t the only player to impress on Thursday. Here’s what you may have missed from a busy first round of play at the 2024 PGA Championship.