2025 PGA Championship, Day 1 recap: Mud balls galore and Jhonattan Vegas leads

Vegas birdies his final hole of the day, the par-4 ninth — his fifth birdie in his last six holes — to take a two-shot lead into the second round.

Vegas made nine birdies and two bogeys in a 7-under 64.

At 3 under and two off the lead, Kim bogeys No. 16 and doubles the last for an even-par 71.

After prodigious drives on the previous two holes, DeChambeau hit a 7-iron on the 227-yard, par-3 16th to 3 inches. The birdie got him to 1 under, four off the lead.

Even par through eight holes, Jordan Spieth made six bogeys and one birdie coming in for a 5-over 76.

Collin Morikawa made three birdies from Nos. 14-17 to reach 3 under for the championship. But an errant second shot found the water at the 18th and he made double bogey. Morikawa posted a 1-under 70 to sit four back.

Justin Thomas’ second shot at the par-4 18th leaked left, caromed off rocks and nestled in a grassy patch just outside the water hazard.

After taking off his socks and shoes, JT made the bold play and chipped magnificently to 12 feet. He wasn’t able to make the putt, however, and tapped in for bogey and a 2-over 73.

It was another sink-then-swim major start for Thomas, who was 4 over through six before making five birdies and three bogeys the rest of the way.

After hitting a 343-yard drive at the par-5 15th (birdie), DeChambeau crushed it 362 off the tee at No. 16 (par).

Tom Kim has some ... interesting ... history at the PGA Championship.

This is just a good, clean eagle at the par-5 15th.

Cam Davis can’t go up and down on 18 to save par, so he ends Thursday as a co-leader.

He makes seven birdies, including this one on hole 6, and two bogeys for a 65.

Justin Thomas flopped one a mile high from just off the green at the par-4 16th.

Cash.

His third straight birdie puts him just one above par.

It’s been an unspectacular but clean day for Bryson DeChambeau, one of the pre-tournament favorites. He pars the 10th to get back to even par for the day.

It’s Cam Davis. He birdies the par-3 4th, which is playing as the easiest hole of the day, to move to 5 under along with Ryan Gerard.

No preferred lies on Thursday at the PGA Championship. Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and more aren’t a fan:

‘Kind of stupid': Players, including Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler, bemoan mud balls

The PGA of America definitely decided to play the ball as it lies in Round 1 at Quail Hollow. That call wasn’t overly appreciated by players Thursday.

• Rex Hoggard,

• Rex Hoggard,

The first ace of the 2025 PGA Championship belongs to Eric Cole, who sinks his tee shot on the 4th (his 13th) to get back to even par in one swing.

He birdies his third straight, and fourth of the first seven, with this hole-out on the 16th.

Cameron Young and Aaron Rai have opened hot at Quail Hollow. Starting out on hole 10, they’ve each birdied three of six.

Young mixed in a bogey — but also this long-distance putt to get his tournament started.

Tyler Collet juuuust missed out on ace at 13, his fourth hole of the tournament.

Ryan Gerard’s day is done after making bogey on both 17 and 18.

He’s still the solo leader, but his three-stroke lead is now a one-stroke lead. He goes 4 under on the back nine, even with the pair of bogeys.

(Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Justin Thomas, arguably a top-5 player in the PGA Championship field, double bogeyed the second and bogeyed the third to start at 3 over through 4.

A lot of eyes are on Jordan Spieth this week, as he attempts to complete the career grand slam just a few weeks after Rory McIlroy did. He bogeys the first, though, after he can’t go up and down from the bunker.

Scottie Scheffler birdied his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot 2-under 69.

Xander Schauffele, meanwhile, shot 72 and Rory McIlroy struggled to a 74.

The reigning Masters champ, who has four career wins at Quail Hollow, hit four of 14 fairways Thursday.

The 25-year-old from North Carolina eagles the par-5 15th to jump to 7 under, three clear of four players who have posted 4-under 67.

Seven bogeys, three birdies, one triple for the 2021 champ. Mickelson is headed toward his sixth missed cut in his last eight major starts.

The 47-year-old European Ryder Cup captain who has played in only three majors in the last eight years is an early PGA Championship co-leader.

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Fox won a playoff last week in Myrtle Beach to qualify for the PGA and now he holds the clubhouse lead.

The Aussie made six birdies and two bogeys for a 4-under 67.

From the fairway, McIlroy dumped his approach shot at the par-4 first (his 10th) into the right greenside bunker. He failed to get up and down, and dropped to 2 over.

Luke Donald (yes, Luke Donald), Alex Noren, Nico Echavarria and Stephan Jaeger are all at 4 under.

Noren made his return to competition last week:

Top-70 player, sidelined with muscle tears, to make season debut at Truist Championship

Alex Noren hasn’t competed since the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links last October because of multiple injuries.

• Brentley Romine,

• Brentley Romine,

Even par through his first eight, Koepka bogeyed the 18th, doubled the first and bogeyed the second. The three-time PGA champ then hit his tee shot at the par-4 third wide right and carded another square.

McIlroy makes double after going rough to rough to rough.

Scheffler makes double after hitting his approach — from the middle of the fairway — into the water and converting a 6-footer.

Schauffele makes double after hitting his approach — from the middle of the fairway — into the water and converting a 5-footer.

Scheffler is now even, McIlroy 1 over, Schauffele 2 over.

McIlroy is scrambling to find the green after another woefully pulled tee shot. Scheffler and Schauffele hooked their approach shots into the water.

The world No. 1 rolls in a 35-footer from off the green at the par-5 15th (his sixth) to reach 2 under, one off the early lead.

McIlroy makes birdie (1 under) and Schauffele pars (even).

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald (thru 10) and U.S. skipper Keegan Bradley (thru 4) are both tied for the early lead at 3 under.

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Playing 311 yards, the drivable 14th has seen its share of eagles and birdies this morning. But Schauffele drove into the water and made bogey while Scheffler and McIlroy settled for pars.

After a bogey at the 11th (his second), Scheffler chips in for birdie at the par-4 12th. He back to even par, along with Rory McIlroy. Xander Schauffele is 1 under.

Phil Mickelson went left off the tee on the par-4 14th. Way, way left. Instead of a corporate tent, however, he found the middle of a lake.

He gives back his opening birdie with a bogey at his second hole.

Rory McIlroy: Make
Scottie Scheffler: Miss
Xander Schauffele: Make

After one hole, McIlroy and Schauffele are 1 under.

It’s go (!) time for the world’s top 3 players.

Quail Hollow is playing tough early, but John Parry provided a bit of action.

Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele go out off the 10th hole at 8:22 a.m. EDT.

Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry are on the course. Koepka, who bypassed the organized media and the champion’s dinner this week, hits a dart into the right rough.

With all the rain, it’s been a test for the Quail Hollow crew. Johnson Wagner caught up Wednesday with Keith Wood, directors of greens and ground to talk about how the course has handled all the rain, and what players can expect today.