PGA Championship: Xander Schauffele breaks multiple major records in stunning opening round at Valhalla | Golf News

Xander Schauffele ripped up the foremost file books to seize the early lead throughout a historic opening spherical on the PGA Championship.

Schauffele carded 9 birdies throughout a shocking bogey-free opening spherical at Valhalla Golf Membership, seeing him file the primary ’62 spherical’ within the PGA Championship and simply the fourth ever in a males’s main.

Branden Grace was the primary participant to shoot 62 in a males’s main within the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, with Schauffele now matching the feat that he and Rickie Fowler managed through the opening spherical of final yr’s US Open at Los Angeles Nation Membership.

Schauffele is the primary participant to card a number of rounds of 62 in main historical past, with a gap spherical of 9 beneath additionally equalling the bottom rating – relative to par – ever in a males’s main.

How Schauffele made main historical past

Starting on the again 9 alongside two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and Ryder Cup star Ludvig Åberg, Schauffele didn’t reap the benefits of the par-five tenth however made a close-range birdie on the par-three subsequent after a superb tee shot to inside three ft.

Schauffele holed from 15 ft to avoid wasting par on the twelfth and transformed from an identical distance to birdie the par-four subsequent, then received up and right down to scramble a par on the 14th earlier than beginning his cost by birdieing each his subsequent two holes.

He added one other on the par-five 18th to shut a powerful first-nine 31, with Schauffele producing one other sand save on the first after which firing his method on the second to inside 5 ft and making his sixth birdie of the day.

Schauffele chipped to tap-in vary on the fourth and rolled in from 10 ft on the fifth to go eight beneath for his spherical and put a number of main data beneath menace, with the Olympic gold medallist making a two-putt birdie on the par-five seventh to tug forward.

An excellent up and down from the again of the eighth inexperienced stored Schauffele bogey-free and needing a birdie on the par-four ninth – his closing gap – to card the primary 61 in a males’s main, however he knocked his method to 30 ft and two-putted for a par to finish a record-breaking efficiency.

Schauffele not getting carried away by quick begin

Schauffele’s robust begin follows a runner-up end to Rory McIlroy on the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday, however he’s refusing to consider a possible maiden main title and first worldwide win because the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

“Its an incredible begin to a giant match,” Schauffele stated. “One I am clearly at all times going to take, however it’s simply Thursday. That is about it.”

When requested about whether or not he’s within the type of his profession, Schauffele added: “I really feel there’s spurts, moments in time the place you are feeling like you’ll be able to management the ball very well; you are seeing the greens very well; you are chipping very well. However over a chronic interval, it is robust to maintenance excessive efficiency. I might say it’s extremely near it, if not it.

“I believe not successful makes you wish to win extra, as bizarre as that’s. For me, no less than, I react to it and I need it an increasing number of and extra, which makes me wish to work more durable and more durable and more durable. The highest feels far-off, and I really feel like I’ve a variety of work to do. However simply slowly chipping away at it.”

Reside PGA Championship Golf

Friday seventeenth Might 1:00pm

Get the very best costs and ebook a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire

Thomas: Schauffele an entire participant

Schauffele has eight high 10s from 11 begins on the PGA Tour this season, with Thomas – who carded a two-under 69 – admitting his enjoying companion’s record-breaking begin ought to come as no shock.

“I might say it is the identical stuff that we have all been watching on TV this yr or in particular person,” Thomas stated. “Xander, he is such an entire participant. This yr he is hitting it even additional. Nearly as good as he drove it, now he is doing the identical, simply 15 yards additional and sooner.

“He is good. I’ve at all times thought he has top-of-the-line demeanours out right here, which is clearly one thing that you would be able to’t essentially simply change in a single day. He simply has no stop in him, and he is at all times hanging in there and staying affected person.

“He is enjoying actually, actually nice golf proper now. So you are feeling like he is a kind of guys each time he tees it up proper now, he will be in rivalry.”

Who will win the PGA Championship? Watch all through the week dwell on Sky Sports activities! Reside protection continues on Friday from 1pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, majors and extra with NOW.

Get the very best costs and ebook a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire

Get the very best costs and ebook a spherical at considered one of 1,700 programs throughout the UK & Eire