PGA Championship: Jhonattan Vegas leads as Luke Donald impresses and Rory McIlroy struggles at Quail Hollow
Jhonattan Vegas birdied five of his last six holes to grab a two-shot lead at the PGA Championship with an opening-round 64; Luke Donald carded a bogey-free 67; Scottie Scheffler opened with a two-under 69; Masters champion Rory McIlroy struggles to three-over 74
Friday 16 May 2025 11:22, UK
Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald rolled back the years to get within three shots of the early lead at the PGA Championship, as Rory McIlroy made an error-filled start to his bid for back-to-back major titles.
Donald, who fired the opening tee shot of this year's major at the Quail Hollow Club, carded a bogey-free 67 - his best start to a major since 2004 - to stay in touch with early leader Jhonattan Vegas, who charged ahead with five birdies in his final six holes.
Vegas' remarkable run saw him card a seven-under 64 and build a surprise advantage over early clubhouse leaders Cam Davis and Ryan Gerard, who both returned opening-round 66s, while Donald sits in the group tied-third that contains compatriot Aaron Rai and Germany's Stephan Jaeger.
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World No 1 Scottie Scheffler produced a strong finish to salvage a two-under 69 and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau stuttered to a level-par 71, with McIlroy - playing alongside Scheffler and Xander Schauffele - among the notable names to struggle on the opening day.
McIlroy is already a three-time winner in 2025 - including at The Masters to complete the career Grand Slam - and has four past victories at Quail Hollow, but he slipped ten strokes back and tied-98th on the leaderboard after a three-over 74.
Marquee group fails to provide major spark
The world's top three largely struggled to live up to their pre-tournament hype on Thursday morning, with all three players posting one birdie and one bogey over their first five holes before Scheffler holed a long-range eagle from off the 15th green.
McIlroy recovered from an errant drive to make a two-putt birdie on the same hole, before the Masters champion joined Scheffler and Schauffele in making double bogeys at the par-four next.
Scheffler picked up a shot the par-four second and undid a bogey at the par-three next with two birdies in his last three holes, getting him within three of the lead, as Schauffele needed a penultimate-hole birdie to scramble a one-over 72.
"I'm satisfied with my finish," Scheffler said. "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. Did a good job posting a number on a day where I didn't have my best stuff."
McIlroy is a further two strokes behind Schauffele after an erratic display, with two more bogeys on his second nine leaving him work to do to make the cut, having found just four fairways off the tee and lost over two strokes on the field with his putting.
"He's not out of this tournament nonetheless - he's five shots behind Scheffler," former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley said. "He's a long way behind the leaders, but are they going to keep that up? Unlikely. He'll be resetting himself and coming at it again."
Shock leaders as stars struggle at Quail Hollow
Gerard charged up the leaderboard when he followed four consecutive birdies from the 10th by holing from off the green for eagle at the par-five 15th, briefly taking him three clear, with the American setting the clubhouse target despite finishing his round with back-to-back bogeys.
Davis produced four birdies in six holes around the turn and birdied both par-threes on his second nine, holing from 15 feet at the fourth and 21 feet at the sixth, only to lose his outright advantage with a closing bogey.
The pair looked set to take a share of the lead into the second round before Vegas produced his late run, posting back-to-back birdies from the third to get within one of the lead before delivering a three-birdie finish to jump to seven under.
Ryan Fox secured his place in the field by winning his first PGA Tour title on Sunday and Alex Smalley got in when Sahith Theegala withdrew on Wednesday, with both making the most of their late spots to get to four under and be part of the tie for fourth.
Europe's Ryder Cup trio of Matt Fitzpatrick, Robert MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton joined USA captain Keegan Bradley in carding three-under 68s, while Eric Cole's opening-round 70 contained a stunning hole-in-one at the par-three fourth.
Two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas posted a two-over 73, as did last week's Truist Championship winner Sepp Straka and runner-up Shane Lowry, while Jordan Spieth's bid to complete the career Grand Slam looks to last at least another year after a five-over 76.
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