McKibbin back to level par for his round after 10 holes, a bogey at the par five. The tee shot caused the initial problem. Cam Davis bogeys the last two holes to fall back into a tie with Ryan Gerard at the top of the US PGA leaderboard. Thomas (+1) has mounted a remarkable fightback, three birdies in succession from 14 to 16. It was a disappointing day for the Irish contingent: Seamus Power (72), Shane Lowry (73), Padraig Harrington (73) and Rory McIlroy (74). Thank you for your company I’ll be back tomorrow along with Johnny Watterson.
LEADERBOARD
-5 C Davies (66), R Gerard (66)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), S Jaeger (67)
Irish
Level T McKibbin (10)
+1 S Power (72)
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73)
+3 R McIlroy (74)
McKibbin (-1) makes the turn with a couple of birdies after a bogey at the opening hole. Excellent work from the Holywood golfer.
LEADERBOARD
-6 C Davies (16)
-5 R Gerard (66)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), S Jaeger (67), A Scott (14)
Irish
-1 T McKibbin (8)
+1 S Power (72)
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73)
+3 R McIlroy (74)
Adam Scott (-4) with another birdie to take him into a tie for third place with five holes to play. Spieth (+4) is watching his chance to join golf’s Grand Slam club slip further away with a bogey on the 13th. He has won three of the four Majors and this is his ninth attempt since winning the third to try and claim a US PGA triumph.
Make that two birdies in succession for McKibbin (-1) with another at the eighth.
McKibbin (level) has played seven holes in two hours and 30 minutes. Rounds are taking well over five hours. We are coming to the end of the Irish Times blog shortly.
McKibbin (level) birdies the par five seventh. We have a new leader. Davies (-6) rolls in a 21-foot putt on the par three sixth. Seven and eight his 16th and 17th holes are good birdie chances.
DeChambeau (level) birdies 10, Scott (-3) pars the 13th, a blemish free card.
LEADERBOARD
-5 R Gerard (66), C Davies (14)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), S Jaeger (67)
Irish
+1 S Power (72), T McKibbin (6)
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73)
+3 R McIlroy (74)
The Shane Lowry putt was to provide an upbeat moment on a tough day for the Irish at Quail Hollow.
Dustin Johnson (+1) tries to box a short putt into the back of the hole but it hits the back and spins out. Less than two feet. McKibbin (+1) with five pars after a bogey at the opening hole. Cam Davies (-5) is struggling for a par. Justin Rose (level) who was two over early on has a good birdie chance on 10.
Cam Davies has joined Gerard at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie at the four, his 13th hole. Six birdies and just a single dropped shot for the Australian.
Eric Cole with a hole-in one at the fourth, his 14th. Seven iron, seen as your asking.
DeChambeau: Ninth, 530 yards, a drive and nine iron. Yep, me neither.
PUB BORE factoid: 14 of the 18 greens at Quail Hollow slope from back to front.
McKibbin (+1) will have 63 feet for birdie on the sixth. There are currently 51 players under par for the tournament. Not included in that number is DeChambeau (+1, 7), Rose (+1, 6) and Cameron Smith (+1, 6).
Aaron Rai drops a shot on the 18th, his ninth playing the price for a couple of loose shots down the final hole of what’s known as the Green Mile (16, 17 and 18 holes). Morikawa (-1) gets into red figures with three birdies in five holes, the latest of which was on the 10th.
Apologies, a few technical issues but we’re back. Spieth (level) misses a long range birdie putt on the ninth. It’s a case of steady as you go for McKibbin (+1) who’s had three pars after an opening bogey. Australia’s Cam Davies (-4) is just one shot off the lead while Ludvig Aberg, after an early bogey, has responded with three birdies en route to the turn.
Tyrell Hatton (-2) is going nicely, two under after 10 holes. Just as I typed, he missed a birdie putt and gave himself the sort of dressing down for which he is famous. A verbal volley.
Local boy and leader Gerard: “You know, I feel very comfortable here. There’s a lot of people here that I know and I’ve been fortunate enough to play this golf course a few times. And all of that is fantastic, and it’s definitely helped in the preparation. But overall I just feel really comfortable. I love being here. It’s a fantastic place. North Carolina in general, they show out for their guys in light blue. I heard so many “Go Heels” Today and just appreciate everyone that’s supporting.
A bit of nostalgia. Michael Block is playing once again this year and is level par in the early stages of his round.
LEADERBOARD
-5 R Gerard (66)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), S Jaeger (67), JJ Spaun (7)
Irish
+1 S Power (72), T McKibbin (2)
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73)
+3 R McIlroy (74)
Turtle in bunker alert. He ain’t for moving. I say he, but I’ve no idea of the sex. Bunker rakers are approaching the turtle in a wary manner. In golfing news England’s Aaron Rai has moved to three under, two off the lead, through the 15th, his seventh hole.
Spieth’s (+1) tee shot on the seventh hits a wall and bounces............well no one knows yet, least of all the commentators and the camera person.
DeChambeau (+1) is having a wild old time but holes from 12 feet for a par on five. Victor Hovland (-1) has been making more sedate progress.
Holywood’s Tom McKibbin making his PGA Championship debut, has bogeyed the first hole.
Mud balls have been an issue for some players. Xander Schauffele spoke about the issue, one that saw both he and Scheffler make doubles on the 16th, having both pick up mud on the ball from tee shots in the fairway. “Had a ridiculous mud ball there on 16 with Scottie. 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.
“I wouldn’t want to go in the locker room because I’m sure a lot of guys aren’t super happy with sort of the conditions there. I feel like the grass is so good, there is no real advantage to cleaning your ball in the fairway. The course is completely tipped out. It sucks that you’re kind of 50/50 once you hit the fairway.”
Thomas (+4) drops another shot at the sixth but JJ Spaun is the only afternoon starter that is making significant inroads on the leaderboard. Staring on the 10th he’s four under through six holes.
Scheffler (69): “Today I feel like I did some good things out there and did some things I could improve on. I had a couple sloppy bogeys, I felt, early in the round. You know, I had the early bogey there on 11, which was a little sloppy, and then I had one on like maybe the third short hole that was sloppy as well.
“Overall I did a good job battling and keeping a level head out there during a day which there was definitely some challenging aspects to the course and did a good job posting a number on a day where I didn’t have my best stuff.
Former Masters champion and a man once referred to as Captain America during a Ryder Cup Patrick Reed (level) birdies the fourth.
Gerard finishes bogey, bogey but still retains the lead in the US PGA championship after signing for a five under, 66. Lunch will still taste good.
A lot of eyes are on Jordan Spieth as he attempts to complete the career Grand Slam just a few weeks after Rory McIlroy did. He bogeys the first, though, failing to get up and down from the bunker.
The leader Gerard (-6) is limping up the 18th, he’ll have about 12 feet to save par.
Keegan Bradley (68) drops out of a tie for second place with a bogey on the 18th. DeChambeau (level) stripes a drive 350-yards down the second fairway. He could kick it onto the green.
American Cameron Young started off with a brace of birdies, teeing off at the 10th; just the 90 feet and change in cumulative putting distance. It’s been a rough day for some former champions, Justin Thomas three over after four holes, Brooks Koepka (75), and Martin Kaymer (78) struggled too.
The US PGA first round leader Gerard (-6, 17) gives a shot back with a bogey on the par three, 17th.
MacIntyre (68): “I have been playing superbly tee to green this year. I only missed two greens (in regulation) today. Statistically I am better than I was last year but I feel like I am behind where I want to be. It’s about keeping the head down, keep fighting and holing a few putts.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre (68) bounced back from a bogey on two to join a hefty group on three under for the tournament.
LEADERBOARD
-7 R Gerard (15)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), S Jaeger (67), K Bradley (17)
Irish
+1 S Power (72),
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73)
+3 R McIlroy (74)
McIlroy (74) was one under after six holes having started on the 10th but played the last 12 holes in four over with a double bogey on the 16th and two further dropped shots on the front nine. He struggled off the tee, missed greens with short irons and couldn’t rescue those mistakes with the putter. Bryson DeChambeau is just about to start his round.
Jaeger (67) bogeys the last but it’s still a fine round. Schauffele (72, +1) holes a decent 12-footer for par on the ninth, McIlroy (74, +3) can’t follow suit his putt, lacked the pace and firm authority of his playing partner. Scheffler (69, -2) also rolls in a birdie putt. Superb from the world number one as he wrangled what initially appeared like it was going to be a tough day into a sub par round. McIlroy was WILD especially off the tee and it’ll be straight to the range for the US Masters champion to look for a fix ahead of tomorrow.
Rasmus Hojgaard misses a short par putt on the ninth, his 18th but still signs for a three under, 68. McIlroy (+2) misses yet another fairway with his tee shot on the ninth. He escapes to 74 yards short of the green and then hits a 5/10 wedge to about 10 feet.
EAGLE: Gerard (-7) jumps two clear of the field with a chip-in eagle on the 15th.
World number one Scottie Scheffler (-1, 17) has been operating with a B/C rather than A game today but he’s scrapped like a good ‘un and won his three-way duel with Xander Schauffele (+1, 17) and McILroy (+2, 17).
Justin Thomas, the PGA champion in 2017 finds the fairway with his opening tee shot. He’s in-form with two second-place finishes and a win at the RBC Heritage in his last four starts.
Matt Fitzpatrick (68, -3): " A good start, I felt like I played solid."
LEADERBOARD
-5 S Jaeger (17), R Gerard (13)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67),
Irish
+1 S Power (72),
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73), R McIlroy (+2, 16)
Jon Rahm (70) brings a topsy turvy round to a close, one that contained five birdies and four bogeys.
American Ryan Gerard (-5) from Raleigh, North Carolina has just racked up four straight birdies from the 10th-13th to grab a share of the lead. He’s 25, turned pro in 2022, was runner-up to Brian Harman at the Valero Texas Open. Received his first set of golf clubs at age 2. Parents said he tried to sneak out of the house whenever he could to hit balls in his yard. Graduated from Ravenscroft School in his childhood hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. Notable alums of Ravenscroft School include actor Michael C. Hall (Class of 1989), best known for his award-winning performance in the television series Dexter, and former NFL safety Antwan Harris (Class of 1996), who won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
Phil Mickelson (+8) just manages to break 80; a 79 for Lefty.
McIlroy (+2) pulls his mid-iron second shot to the par five, seventh, his 15th way left and onto a grassy knoll. Another error from the fairway.
The 35-year-old German Stephan Jaeger leads the US PGA on five under with a couple of holes to play. He has won six tournaments on the second tier Korn Ferry Tour in the United States. He won his first PGA Tour event at the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open.
LEADERBOARD
-5 S Jaeger (15)
-4 R Fox (67) L Donald (67), A Smalley (67), JT Poston (17), R Gerard (12)
Irish
+1 S Power (72),
+2 S Lowry (73), P Harrington (73), R McIlroy (14)
Shane Lowry (73, +2) also ground out a score when his round threatened to get away from him. Walking off the first green, he stood at three over for the tournament but birdies on three and four got him back to one over. Unfortunately having missed the green with his second to nine ending up in a front bunker, he failed to get up and down an closed with a bogey. He continues an unhappy relationship with the Quail Hollow course.
Padraig Harrington (73, +2) demonstrated his fighting qualities by playing the last six holes in one under par. He was level to the turn with just a single birdie and bogey but dropped shots on 10, 11 and 12 got the back nine off to a ropey start. A birdie on the par five 15th mitigated some of the damage.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald (67) has joined Ryan Fox (67) at the top of the leaderboard in the clubhouse.
Seamus Power (72, +1) closes with a par on the ninth, his 18th in what was a rollercoaster round. Starting on the 10th, he began birdie, double bogey, bogey, par, eagle, birdie, double bogey, par, par to turn in one over par, 37. His back nine was a great deal more sedate.
After the errant tee shot on the fifth, McIlroy (+2) makes a par.
LEADERBOARD
-4 R Fox (67), A Smalley (17), L Donald (17), JT Poston (16), A Noren (16)
Irish
+1 S Power (72), S Lowry (16)
+2 R McIlroy (13), P Harrington (17)
McIlroy (+2) with another wild hook on the fifth, his 14th. He’s only hit two fairways to date today. Seamus Power (+1) has dropped a shot on the eighth, his 17th, in what might politely be termed an eventful round.
Thank you to David who has done such sterling work up to this point. It’s been a day of struggles for the Irish contingent as a Fox, Ryan (67) escapes from the pack to take the lead with a fine four under, 67. John O’Sullivan here and I’ll be keeping you up to date until 10.0pm or so. Let’s just play it be ear for now.
That’s all from me for this afternoon, an interesting start, McIlroy and Lowry could do with a few more birdies to finish. I’ll leave you in the competent hands of John O’Sullivan then.
Great effort by McIlroy but just misses. Lips out for birdie. Scheffler gets punished for a poor iron shot and can’t get up and down, back to even par.
There are only 22 players under par out of the 78 on the course, so it’s playing tricky. Koepka is the worst of the non-PGA pros at five over.
McIlroy blocked by an overhanging tree at the third, he punches it and clips the tree but it sort of works in his favour and his ball rolls up the side of the green. Great shot from where he was, if unlikely to get a birdie from there.
Rory’s quest for a fairway continues, after his two playing partners his perfect drives, Rory sliced it to the right rough. He’s only hit two fairways today, and given how firm the course is, it’s going to be hard to make birdies doing that.
Birdie for Power! He moves into the best of the Irish despite two double bogeys in his round. He steadied the ship after his last one and made eight pars in a row, before birdieing the par 5 seventh. He’s even par.
Par for Rory, lags it up to the hole. Scheffler though plays the hole perfectly, good drive, second shot below the hole and putt straight in the middle uphill. Back under par.
Ryan Fox joins Noren in the lead at -5.
Alex Noren takes the lead with a birdie on 15, his seventh of the day. Now to try to hold onto it for the final three tough holes. He’s -5.
Lowry misses his chance of three birdies in a row, sadly. Just shaves the hole from 12 feet.
McIlroy got a shot from the trees on 2, punches it into the right side of the green, but outside chance for birdie.
Another poor drive by Rory, 10-15 yards off his target line. In the rough. Needs to get that part of his game sorted on a course where driving is paramount.
Lowry with another great drive down the fourth, then spins a crisp pitch to 10 feet. That’s the stuff, Shane.
Bogey for McIlroy. McIllroy’s bunker shot is average, a fair distance left for par. He misses the putt to fall to two over. Disappointing start.
Ryan Fox moves back into the lead at four under after a birdie.
Good few minutes for the Irish...
Birdie for Lowry! Shane getting in the zone, holing a massive 68 footer for birdie to get to +1. That will make up for some shorter ones he missed earlier. Big cheer and then a big grin for that one.
Birdie for Harrington! Better hole from Pádraig, good drive and second shot at the par 5, up and down for a 4.
A double bogey for Nico Echavarria, who drops out of the lead to two behind.
Great drive by McIlroy at the first, that’s more like it. But he hits his approach into the bunker from the middle of the fairway.
Birdie for Lowry. Holes from off the green, gets back to +2. Battling back after a bad start.
Schauffele misses his birdie try, Scheffler leaves himself with a testy par putt. Rory misses his too, just past the hole. Out in 37, one over. Scheffler finishes off the par.
The first nine holes for the feature group:
McIlroy: Birdie, Bogey, Par, Par, Par, Birdie, Double Bogey, Par, Par - 37 shots
Scheffler: Par, Bogey, Birdie, Par, Par, Eagle, Double Bogey, Par, Par - 36 shots
Schauffele: Birdie, Par, Par, Par, Bogey, Par, Double Bogey, Par, Par - 38 shots
Meanwhile, Ryan Fox has missed a short one for par, to drop out of the lead.
Lovely iron by McIlroy from a slight sidehill lie at the 18th, hammered it into the heart of the green, half-chance for birdie. Schauffele left with a similar distance.
German Stephan Jaeger joins the lead on four under. Lower could join them after a hot start. Echavarria too hits an excellent iron approach and could join the lead.
A poor drive again by Rory on 18, got a dose of the lefts, gone left on the last three drives and flirted with the water on them all. Avoids it again, just about, but could be a tough stance.
Koepka’s game is really out of sorts, he’s +4 and hits a massive slice on the third, which he tells his caddie he’ll need to reload.
Another birdie for Luke Donald. What a performance by the Englishman on a long course you wouldn’t expect to suit him. Joins Fox at -4.
Three pars for the star grouping at the 17th, Schauffele had to make a decent length one and McIlroy nearly chipped in.
Ryan Fox finally breaks through from the three under group, which had got to 12, to get to four under.
McIlroy hits a nice iron at the 17th, but the greens are so firm that he can’t hold it. Scheffler hits the front of the green, Schauffele misses to the right.
Bogey for Lowry. Gives back the birdie at 18 with a bogey at the first. Missed the fairway off the tee, approach short and didn’t get up and down. He’s +3.
Alex Smalley makes it an 11-way tie for the lead... Rahm has a chance to make it 12.
Double bogey for McIlroy! His first six at that hole since 2010... a big blow but he did win the Masters with four double bogeys across the week. Back to +1.
Scheffler safely makes double, so does Schauffele. Three double bogeys for the top three in the world. Meanwhile, there is now a ridiculous 10 players in the lead.
McIlroy’s pitch is to 12 feet, he needs that to avoid double bogey. Scheffler and Schauffele both drop and then pitch miles away from the hole. Could it be three double bogeys? Scheffler has a tough two-putt to avoid triple.
Scheffler leaves it well short, so does Schauffele. Top three players in the world making a dog’s dinner of the 16th.
McIlroy finds his ball down the left trees and tries to get it back to the fairway, but slips and fails to do so... will have to avoid a big number here on the tough 16th. McIlroy muscles one down the right of the green, but a tough up and down ahead to save bogey.
Then Scheffler and Schauffele both pull irons from the fairway straight into the water! Chaos at the 16th for the star group.
Bogey for Harrington. His bad driving continues, in trouble for the third hole in the row and back to +2.
Another big hook with the driver by Rory, worse this time and floating with the water at the tough 16th. Hopefully he gets away with it again.
Birdie for Lowry! First one of the day at the 18th, his ninth hole, to get back to +2.
Good putt by Rory to just short of the hole at the par 5. Superb iron by Lowry at the 18th, that’s more like it! Chance for birdie.
Eagle for Scheffler, he holes an eagle from off the green! Feels he hasn’t played that well so far and he’s two under somehow.
Birdie for McIlroy! He taps it in to get to one under.
McIlroy’s somehow stopped just short of the water, big break! With his left foot almost in the water, he hits a superb iron to just right of the green, good chance of a birdie if he can get up and down on the par 5.
There is now an eight-way tie for the lead at three under, including both Ryder Cup captains.
Bogey for Harrington. Another wayward drive gets him in trouble, he can’t get it back to the fairway with his second and it’s a struggle from there. Six at the par 5 and back to +1.
McIlroy‘s drive is pulled at the 15th towards the water. Oh dear.
Lowry could three-putt for the third hole in a row as he left himself a very long putt which he left short. Irish lads leaking oil unfortunately.
Oops, McIlroy misses a four footer for birdie... he has the same distance left. But makes the return.
Luke Donald moves into a tie for the lead with a birdie at 10, turning back the years. The other Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley has a chance to join him. Interesting sideplot. Jon Rahm moves to the two under group, with Fitzpatrick moves to three under.
Bogey for Lowry. Another three-putt, he goes to +3 after seven holes. Disastrous start, only a handful of players worse who have started.
Good wedge from Schauffele gives him a chance of a par. McIlroy hits a beautiful pitch from the top of a hill at the 14th, good chance of a birdie, only four feet away.
Schauffele hits a horrible hook straight into the water at the short par 4, bad error. Rory’s was better, didn’t get the kick left with a fairway wood, not a bad place to be. Another birdie for Fleetwood! He joins the lead.
Bogey for Lowry. The bleeding continues for the Irish, poor start by Lowry as he bogeys a par 5. Made a mess of it on the green, three putts from short distance. He’ll be livid with that, back to +2.
Good up and down for Scheffler on 13, safe two putts by Rory. Schauffele misses his birdie attempt. Short par 4 coming up.
Lowry leaves himself a tough two-putt, very long one coming up at 16 which isn’t what you want if you’re low on confidence on the greens.
A bad few minutes for Irish golfers...
Double bogey for Power. Yep, another wild moment for Power as he hits into the water at the tough 16th, then misses the green and doesn’t get up and down. Back to +1.
Bogey for Harrington. From trees on the left to trees in the right, he will take a five at the 9th and turns in even par.
Next up is a par 3, the 205-yard 13th for the star group. Scheffler goes well to the right with his iron. A six iron beauty by Schauffele with a long iron to birdie range. Rory hits it to the heart of the green, but a lot farther away.
Poor start by Scheffler so far, goes over the green with a wedge as it hits the firm green and bounces over. Rory’s wedge looked good but then spins way back off the green at the 12th. Schauffele also off the green, impressive how firm the course is considering all the rain earlier in the week.
Rory’s chip though is spot on, to a foot of the hole and easy par. Two birdies early on for Tommy Fleetwood moves into tied second. Alright then! Scheffler chips in off the green! Back to level par, a birdie from nowhere after a difficult start.
Another nice drive by Schauffele, straight down the middle on 12. Even better one by Rory, left to right slider down the middle.
Birdie for Harrington! A wedge to 11 feet at the short par 4 eighth and rolled in the putt for birdie.
Birdie for Power! His whirlwind first nine continues, with a birdie at the par 5 15th. Two birdies, an eagle, a bogey, a double bogey and a par to start. All adds up to -1.
Mediocre chip by Scheffler, he has work to do for par. McIlroy also hits his putt way past from 35 feet, must be close to 10 feet past.
Scheffler misses his par putt, and so does Rory.
Bogey for McIlroy. Careless three putt from 35 feet. Back to even par.
Schauffele from the middle of the fairway, 159 yards hits a decent approach over the pin. McIlroy from the bunker is at the front of the green. Scheffler got a break from the trees and hit it just short of the green.
Very poor drive at the 11th by Scheffler, seemed to slip and way into the trees, decent drive by Schauffele, McIlroy went in the bunker.
Bogey for Lowry. Missed the green at the par 3 13th and didn’t get up and down. To +1 now.
Birdie for McIlroy! Really confident putt to start after a good pitch. Starting as he finished at Augusta.
Birdie too for Schauffele after a nice chip, Scheffler missed his putt and makes par.
Eagle for Power! A 2 at a par 4, brilliant long putt from 44 feet. Back to even par.
Scheffler hit the ball into the bunker with a fairway wood, McIlroy muscled it down to about 50 yards short of the hole on the left, but plenty of green to work with. Schauffele hits the best of the bunch from a hanging lie and just short of the green.
Power hit the middle of the green at the short par 4 14th hole, a long eagle putt but more a birdie chance to get one back.
“Now on the tee our 2012 and 2014 champion, from Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy!” says the starter. Big drive to start, pitched about 320 yards, but into the rough on the right and sat down, so might struggle to get there in two on the par 5. Perfect drive to start by Scheffler down the middle, Schauffele also in the fairway.
Meanwhile, Ryan Fox has got two birdies in a row to move to three under, Alex Noren with another birdie to get to two under. Jason Day chips in on his second hole to move to one under.
Bogey for Power. Poor start by the Waterford man, follows his double with another bogey, again a bit clumsy around the greens, hitting over the green with his chip and taking two from the fringe, goes to +2.
A par for Lowry at the second, fairway, green, two putts from distance, standard par.
Rory McIlroy teeing off in less than 10 minutes.
Bogey at his first, the 10th hole, for three-time champion Brooks Koepka, a sliced drive into the trees and then he missed the green completely with his lay-up. Luke Donald is on the board with a birdie, while Harrington has made four pars to start.
Double bogey for Power! Not what was needed after the opening birdie. Made a mess of it around the green, going bunker to another bunker then three-putting. He’s back to +1.
Par at the first for Lowry, he layed up after being in the rough with his drive at the par 5. He had an outside chance of a birdie from 25 feet which he missed.
Harrington is playing with Luke Donald, the European Ryder Cup captain got the tournament under way.
Shane Lowry is also under way now, he put his opening drive on the 10th into the left rough.
Birdie for Power! A putt from 10 feet after getting up and down from the front of the green. He will join Fox at 1 under. Harrington parred the second.
A birdie at the first for Ryan Fox puts him into the lead, but only a handful of players have completed their first hole. I will update the leaderboard when more players have started. Those starting at the 10th like Power start with a birdie chance at a par 5, Power is just off the green in two there and has a good chance to post an early birdie. Harrington is on the left side of the green on 2, 35 feet for birdie.
Leaderboard:
-5 Ryan Fox (17)
-4 Luke Donald (17), JT Poston (15), Alex Noren (16),
Selected others:
E Scottie Scheffler (12), Séamus Power (16)
+1 Shane Lowry (15)
+2 Rory McIlroy (12), Xander Schauffele (12), Pádraig Harrington (17)
Still to play
Off 1st tee
7.31pm: T Kanaya, C Bezuidenhout, T McKibbin
The PGA Championship app got a bit excited and gave Harrington a birdie at the first from 50 feet for some reason, but it has corrected itself and he went into the bunker with his approach then got up and down for an opening par. Level par start. Séamus Power is up next.
Meanwhile, here is some reading to get you hyped, Denis Walsh is at Quail Hollow and he’s previewed the event.
“Jack Nicklaus used to say that Majors were easier because only a few players believed they could win. Padraig Harrington reached the same conclusion. In that case this is simple. Rory McIlroy is the hottest player on the planet; Scottie Scheffler is contesting his eighth straight Major as the world’s number one, the longest such streak since peak Tiger Woods; Xander Schauffele is the only player with top 10s in his last five Major appearances. He won it last year. Remember?”
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the PGA Championship from Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rory McIlroy has won here four times and it’s his first Major since winning the Masters in such dramatic fashion last month and completing the career Grand Slam. He is out in just over an hour, in a blockbuster group that includes the top three players in the world, himself, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, who have won four of the last five Major championships between them.
Meanwhile, Shane Lowry will begin in about half an hour and Pádraig Harrington has just teed off the first so there is plenty to keep on top of early doors. Four of the five Irish players are in action early in the day, Tom McKibbin the only one on a late-early.
Here are the tee times for the Irish for the first round:
Off 1st tee in first round
12pm: L Donald, P Harrington, M Kaymer
7.31pm: T Kanaya, C Bezuidenhout, T McKibbin
Off 10th tee in first round
12.16pm: A Chi, P Fishburn, S Power
12.38pm: B Koepka, R Fowler, S Lowry
1.22pm: R McIlroy, X Schauffele, S Scheffler
