Tom Kim wasn’t intimidated by the morning starters, and one particularly, going low. Something however, in actual fact. “Effectively, whenever you see 9-under in a significant championship, it’s on the market,” he stated after his spherical. “You recognize it’s undoubtedly gettable. Clearly Xander performed actually, rather well to shoot 9-under however you go, okay, I suppose it’s enjoying fairly gettable and there’s going to be a number of alternatives on the market.”

Collin Morikawa completes a 66. He finds the inexperienced at 18 in two and eyes an eagle however his 22 foot putt simply slips by the opening. He joins the rising group on -5 which additionally now contains Thomas Detry who makes a closing par at 9.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (F), Detry (F), Morikawa (F)

One other disappointing main championship effort from Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean has recorded 12 prime 10 finishes in his final 15 begins all over the world, together with three wins. However that is his twenty first main and unlikely to be his first prime 10 end after he carded a 73.

Tom Kim tidies up his par at 18 to finish a 66 and make it a four-way clubhouse share of fourth on -5. It’s the primary time he’s gone sub-70 in three PGA Championship begins and also you’d hope he improves his earlier second spherical efforts. They learn: 77-76-75. Fingers crossed for one thing higher than a 74.

Patrick Cantlay is enjoying like main championship Patrick Cantlay at this time. i.e. he’s not contending on stage par. He has solely 4 prime 10s in 28 begins within the career-defining tournaments which could be very underwhelming for a golfer nearly as good as he’s. Meantime, par at 16 retains Scottie Scheffler at -4.

Are you doubting the Thomases? Possibly not tonight. Thomas Detry makes a birdie on the par-five seventh to get again to -5 whereas Tom Kim finds the center of the par-five 18th fairway. He has a fairway wooden in hand for his method … and he didn’t catch all of it however he’s within the entrance greenside bunker. He must get up-and-down to hit -6.

Swede Alex Noren is in nice type – and is sustaining it at Valhalla. He hasn’t missed a reduce since July, has a trio of PGA Tour prime three finishes since October and arrived in Louisville off seven straight prime 25s. He’s swapped seven birdies and three bogeys in a 67. Tom Hoge has joined Rory McIlroy and Bob MacIntyre within the clubhouse on -5 with a 67 that included eight birdies.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Hoge (F), T. Kim (17)

When World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler drained his second shot of the day for an eagle you might need been forgiven for considering he may even be capable to stroll on water. Cam Smith can.

Three-putt from Scottie Scheffler. He’d apparently carried out the tough half on the very lengthy par-three 14th by hitting the center of the inexperienced. However he then took one other three photographs to seek out the underside of the cup from 29 toes. He’s again to -3.

Maverick McNealy makes a birdie on the par-five tenth, getting up and down from the again of the inexperienced to achieve -2. At the least he went for it. He ranks 94th for Going for Inexperienced this season on the PGA Tour which is just about his profession common. A lot for any type of {golfing} nominative determinism.

Scheffler makes birdie at 14 to return to -4. In the meantime, back-to-back birdies for Jon Rahm at 13 and 14. He’s nonetheless solely +1 however has dug deep after that horror begin.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)

5 minutes of pure Phil Mickelson. He drains a 34 foot birdie putt on the 14th to get to -1 after which sprays his tee shot at 15 into the bushes. He’s made simply three prime 10 finishes within the final 4 years on the PGA Tour: second in a WGC occasion in 2020, successful this occasion in 2021, second in final yr’s Masters. Not a nasty trio.

Collin Morikawa has caught fireplace. He’s drained 5 birdie putts in his final eight holes, the ultimate three from 41 toes, 20 toes and 18 toes. He’s now on the brutally lengthy par-three 14th … and knocked his method to 10 toes.

A smile from Jon Rahm. But it surely’s a wry-ish one. His method on the brief par-four thirteenth spins again in direction of the opening and brushes the sting. He’ll have a brief putt to get to +2.

Tom Kim (-5) has a sneaky good main championship file. Final yr he was sixteenth within the Masters, eighth within the US Open and 2nd on the Open.

Damon emails: “Who was the worst ever PGA Championship winner?” A reference, maybe, to the times when the occasion had a fame for throwing up unlikely champions. 2003 winner Shaun Micheel would acquire many individuals’s X in a vote no-one desires to win*. The triumph was, in actual fact, his solely win on the PGA Tour. He did win it, although, and he did so with an method to the ultimate inexperienced of beautiful high quality.

* Really, I’d fairly wish to be ranked the worst ever PGA champion.

After a shaky begin Collin Morikawa has revived his hopes. The 2020 champion dropped photographs at 2 and 5, bounced again with a hat trick of birdies at 6, 7 and eight, and now he provides one other par breaker at 12 to achieve -2. In the meantime, Tom Kim performs a magnificence to the brief par-four thirteenth. He has a brief putt to achieve -5.

The putts have began dropping once more. From 55 toes for birdie on the par-three 14th for Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (-2) after which from 11 toes for birdie on the par-four twelfth for Korea’s Tom Kim (-4). However Scheffler misses the brief likelihood to hitch Kim. He stays on -3.

Scottie Scheffler replace. Having made the flip in -3 he missed the inexperienced in two on the par-five tenth. His chip down a slippery placing floor has left him about 6 toes for birdie

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F), Detry (12)

Has Xander Schauffele already taken a lot of the area out of the working? Statistician Justin Ray has written on X: “33 of the final 34 PGA Championship winners have been inside 6 of the lead after spherical 1.” What concerning the three winners at Valhalla? They have been all inside two photographs of the primary spherical lead (however Bob Might, who misplaced a play-off to Tiger Woods in 2000, was six again).

Matt Fitzpatrick just isn’t alone in having had a wild entrance 9. Rickie Fowler reached the flip in +1 with a double bogey, three bogeys and 4 birdies. He was third at Valhalla in 2014 and stated afterwards: “That stings as a result of I actually felt like I might win this one.” He additionally threatened to win final summer season’s US Open – and did win the Rocket Mortage Traditional quickly afterwards.

By no means thoughts Xander Schauffele or Scottie Scheffler, Simon McMahon is impressed by tonight’s pub quiz triumph (21.36). He emails: “Congratulations to Chelsea and Steve on their quiz night time winnings. That’s a Weight-reduction plan Coke every, or two-thirds of a glass of wine to share. Completely satisfied days certainly. Thoughts you, it’s not the successful that’s necessary, it’s the collaborating. Simply ask Jean Van de Velde Doug Sanders Maurice Flitcroft.”

Belgium’s Thomas Detry is on a cost. He’s -4 via 10 and, in impact, main the afternoon wave. He has 12 prime three finishes on the principle excursions with out discovering a win and is sort of the cosmopolitan: born in Belgium, school within the States, as soon as had a base in Cornwall and now resides in Dubai.

Speaking of Englishman, what of Justin Rose? Nathan emails: “11 years on from his solely main victory, how are Rose’s probabilities taking care of that first spherical? All the time appeared there or thereabouts within the majors (prime 3 finishes in all of the majors he hasn’t gained!) and could be beautiful to see him get another.” Excellent news, Nathan. Rose shot a 1-under 70 within the morning wave. He’s truly completed prime 30 in 10 of his final 12 match begins with 5 prime 10s (together with three since 2020). The unhealthy information? He has just one prime 30 anyplace since August final yr.

A stage par entrance 9 of 35 for England’s Matt Fitzpatrick. However that quantity doesn’t remotely inform the story of his journey to the flip. He made a double bogey at 2, bogey at 4, eagle at 7 and birdie at 9. The large error got here when he wanted 4 photographs from the greenside bunker on the 2nd, he then made up for it by draining a 19 foot putt on the 598 yard seventh.

Scottie Scheffler rights the ship. A easy birdie on the par-five seventh sees him return to -3. He joins Aaron Rai on that quantity. Since we talked about him 45 minutes in the past he’s added birdies at 2 and 4, driving these Woosie-at-Valhalla vibes.

Sky Sports activities commentators simply remind us that Taiwan’s CT Pan (-3 via 5) will quickly be defending his bronze medal on the Olympics in Paris. However readers Chelsea Selkirk and Steve Bailey are already celebrating third place – in tonight’s pub quiz at Cameron Home, a golf resort on Loch Lomond. They’re Scottie Scheffler followers they usually gained a £10 credit score. A bit extra on the road for the sphere this week. However who’s extra excited?!?!?

A birdie for Jon Rahm on the par-five seventh. Simply the 12 again of the lead now. He did open his Masters victory final yr with a four-putt bogey 6 however certainly that is too steep a hill even for him? He’s +3.

Beware the injured golfer. Again in 2019 Tony Finau dislocated his ankle within the Masters Par-3 match however performed the principle occasion after popping it again himself. His enjoying associate at this time, Sahith Theegala, revealed after the pair opened with 65s: “I slipped a rib on Saturday the week earlier than the Wells Fargo (two weeks in the past). I wasn’t positive I used to be going to play. I instantly referred to as my chiro and obtained three actually painful changes to get it again in place and couldn’t actually breathe or transfer all Saturday and Sunday.”

A gentle begin from Patrick Cantlay (-1 via 5) has simply been halted by the sixth. He’s discovered water from the tee.

Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai is making a strong begin to his first spherical. The 29-year-old did play slightly county golf for Shropshire, as did Ian Woosnam who spent the primary 36 holes within the prime 10 on the first PGA Championship held at Valhalla in 1996. Rai is at present -1 via 10 holes. Enjoyable reality: he typically retains his recreation sharp at a golf course close to Bridgnorth that was constructed by Judas Priest lead guitarist KK Downing.

The sixth has not been sort to Jon Rahm. His tee shot discovered the green however he pulled his method into deep grass and wanted two blows to seek out the placing surfaces. A fourth bogey of the day is the outcome. He’s +4 and 13 photographs behind the chief.

There’s a contact of the 18th gap on the West Course at Wentworth concerning the sixth at Valhalla. Not a lot within the par (the previous is a par-five, the latter a par-four). However each require gamers to hit tee photographs in need of a valley after which launch an extended method to the inexperienced. The restriction on the intial blow implies that on each checks the big-hitters must hold the head-cover on their driver (and possibly grit their enamel within the course of).

Lastly: a menace to Scottie Scheffler’s calm. The World No. 1 finds sand beside the 467 yard par-four sixth inexperienced and splashes out to 10 toes. He shuffles in behind the ball and features it up outdoors the fitting edge … but it surely doesn’t come again to the opening. A primary bogey of the day and he falls again to -2.

Jon Rahm has not obtained off to a very good begin. Bogeys on the 2nd, the 4th – and now the fifth. “I don’t suppose my recreation (has) any form of points,” he insisted earlier this week. “I didn’t play good at Augusta, however up to now I haven’t missed a prime 10 (on LIV this yr).”

Regular from Scheffler for the reason that whizz-bang intro. However on the brief par-four 4th he provides himself a very good have a look at a birdie from 13 toes. He holes it! He’s -3 via 4 and shutting on the leaders.

-9: Schauffele (F)
-6: Finau (F), Theegala (F)
-5: McIlroy (F), MacIntyre (F)
-4: Kohles (F), Koepka (F), Moore (F)

Speaking of Dustin Johnson – he might solely handle a 73 at this time. He completed second on this championship in each 2019 and 2020. Since then he has damaged 73 simply as soon as as soon as in 9 occasion rounds (together with at this time). He additionally missed the reduce on the Masters final month after rounds of 78-79. DJ has misplaced his rhythm.

A terrifying prospect thrown on the market by Luke Donald on Sky Sports activities. For the sphere, that’s. He remembers how he loved his career-best season after the beginning of his first youngster. “It grounds you,” he argues. The factor is, Scottie Scheffler doesn’t actually need grounding. Donald additionally reveals that Dustin Johnson watched footage of Scheffler’s opening eagle within the locker room and stated that golf would quickly meet up with the World No. 1.

Right here’s that exceptional introduction from Scottie Scheffler. Simply superb.