The 105th US PGA Championship gets underway today with the tournament taking place at the iconic Oak Hill Country Club in upstate New York.
99 of the top 100 players in the world will compete for the trophy and title as this competition, unlike the Masters, US Open and Open Championship, does not feature any amateur players.
Justin Thomas is the defending champion and should put in a solid defence but the hot favourites for victory are the world’s top two players. Current Masters champion Jon Rahm and world No 2 Scottie Scheffler come into the championship with the best form and the hopes of adding another major to their individual tallies.
Elsewhere, Tiger Woods is absent as he recovers from an ankle injury, Jordan Spieth is making his seventh attempt at a career Grand Slam and Rory McIlroy is playing down his chances after a less than stellar outing in the Masters. There’s also the added interest that comes from the inclusion of the LIV golf players. Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka finished in a tie for second place at Augusta and will be looking to go one better this time around in what would be a major result for the controversial tour.
Follow all the action from the 105th US PGA Championship:
US PGA Championship 2023
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The 105th US PGA Championship kicks off at Oak Hill Country Club in New York
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Scottie Scheffler takes joint clubhouse lead at -3 while fellow early starters Rory McIlroy (+1) and Jon Rahm (+6) struggle
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Leaderboard: -4: DeChambeau, Bradley
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-3: Scheffler (F), Conners (F)
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-2: Fox, Hovland, Buckley, Straka,
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-1: Suh, R Hojgaard, Kern, Simpson
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Others: McIlroy (+1), Morikawa (+1), Thomas (+2), Koepka (+2), Spieth (+2), Rahm (+6)
US PGA Championship 2023
20:42 , Luke Baker
Viktor Hovland in for a two-under round of 68 with a final par but that’s now two shots off the lead because two men have moved to -4.
Bryson DeChambeau, 20 pounds lighter after finally ending his bulk-up-to-the-extreme experiment, flights a lovely approach into the hard 6th hole. It dances round the flag and leaves him a tap-in birdie.
It’s then a similar story for Keegan Bradley at the same hole. Great approach, good putt and they both move a stroke ahead of SCheffler and Conners.
US PGA Championship 2023
20:31 , Luke Baker
Rory McIlroy finishes with a par. It was a rollercoaster round for the Northern Irishman (when is it not!) but he ends on +1, a round of 71. That’s just about still in contention.
Brooks Koepka ended his day on +2 with a 72. Attention is starting to turn to the afternoon starters, which will include the likes of Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Justin Rose.
US PGA Championship 2023
20:27 , Luke Baker
A disappointing end for Justin Thomas. His par putt on the final hole doesn’t quite fall and it means he ends on +2, a round of 72. He was going along nicely at -1 for so much of his round but faltered towards the end.
It’s similarly bad news on the last for Collin Morikawa. The two-time major winner looks set for a par that would see him end at an even-par 70 but his putt slips by. A one-over 71 for Morikawa who looks disgusted with that finish.
US PGA Championship 2023
20:25 , Luke Baker
The wheels have completely come off Jon Rahm. He double bogeys the 7th to slip to +7, alongside the likes of Ockie Strydom, Trey Mullinax and Anthony Cordes… He’s 10 shots off the lead with two holes to play and his championship already looks over.
DeChambeau and Bradley both have looks at birdie and give them a decent rattle but they don’t quite drop. Both men stay at -3
US PGA Championship 2023
20:19 , Luke Baker
Oooh! Close to going in for Viktor Hovland with a putt from off the green. A solid par at his penultimate hole though to stay at -2, one stroke back.
Justin Suh makes a huge putt on 14 to move to -2 alongside Hovland. He birdied the first and had been on a par run ever since. Jordan Spieth cracks a smile as he finally makes a birdie to climb from +3 to +2.
And Corey Conners tidies up at 18 with a neat par to join Scheffler in the clubhouse with a 68. Currently co-leading the championship.
US PGA Championship 2023
20:15 , Luke Baker
A solid day’s work from Scottie Scheffler. He’ll be delighted with a three-under round of 68
US PGA Championship 2023
20:12 , Luke Baker
It’s now a four-way tie at the top. A slimmed-down Bryson DeChambeau makes a birdie at the 4th to climb to -3.
Scottie Scheffler pars the last and he’s in the clubhouse at -3, after a round of 67. A good bit of business today from the world No 2. Someone could get to -4 but that’ll be there or thereabouts for the lead by the close of play.
US PGA Championship 2023
20:09 , Luke Baker
That’s nice from Rory McIlroy. His penultimate hole of the day, the 8th, is nicely played and he rolls in a birdie putt that pushes him to +1. He’s still in the tournament with that score. Playing partner Justin Thomas also at +1.
The clubhouse leader currently is Ryan Fox – who signed for a round of 68 (-2). Scheffler and Bradley are both playing their final holes sitting at -3 at the moment though.
20:01 , Luke Baker
Here’s a reminder of the top of the leaderboard as it stands – only 10 men under par.
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Scheffler, Conners, Bradley (-3)
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Fox, DeChambeau, Hovland (-2)
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Tarren, Suh, Kaewkanjana, Buckley (-1)
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Morikawa, Theegala and others (E)
US PGA Championship 2023
19:55 , Luke Baker
Scottie Scheffler making moves and joins the party at -3. A nice drive, good iron to follow at the 8th sets him up for the birdie. He joins Conners and Bradley at the top.
Jon Rahm is having a disastrous day though. He’s already at +4 for his round and finds the bunker at the 6th (his 15th) – not a great chip out and he’ll have 30-odd feet to save par. He’s unable to and falls to +5. Unbelievable.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:51 , Luke Baker
Some more movement at the top. Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion, makes a birdie to move to -3 which is now the co-lead after Corey Conners drops a shot at the 16th.
We mentioned Hovland finding the water with his drive at the 6th, although his third shot is a beaut and gives him an outside shot of par. His putt misses but it’s a simple bogey and just one dropped shot – that’s good damage limitation after the disaster off the tee.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:43 , Luke Baker
Justin Thomas’s par streak comes to an end and not in a good way as he double bogeys the 6th and drops to +1. The 6th is the hardest hole on the course and Viktor Hovland is also in trouble there shortly after.
His tee shot hooks to the right and lands in the stream, he’ll have to drop miles back and it will be his third shot.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:30 , Luke Baker
Here was how Scheffler moved to -2 a little while back, capitalising on a great tee shot.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:28 , Luke Baker
We have a new sole leader at the 2023 US PGA Championship. Corey Conners is statistically the best ball-striker on the PGA Tour – topping their ‘strokes gained approach’ category and he makes back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to jump from -2 to -4.
A thumping drive at the short par-four 14th allowed him to get up and down for that birdie before a nice iron into the par-three 15th was again taken advantage of with his hot putter.
Meanwhile, Ryan Fox makes a bit of a mess of the 17th and drops a shot to go back to -2, suddenly two shots off the lead.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:16 , Luke Baker
The 13th is looking fine at Oak Hill
US PGA Championship 2023
19:16 , Luke Baker
Bad news for Rory McIlroy. He follows back-to-back birdies with a bogey at the par-three 5th. Lets it slip away with a missed putt. However, Justin Thomas keeps his bogey-free round going with another long par putt. He birdied the first and now has 13 pars on the spin trot to stay well in contention at -1.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:12 , Luke Baker
A new co-leader at Oak Hill. Viktor Hovland has been on a tear following a slow start and takes full advantage of the par-five 4th, culminating in a birdie putt from inside 10 feet. He joins Ryan Fox on -3 at the top.
Fox should be on -4 after a lovely second shot at the 16th but his bridie putt lips out to groans from the crowd. If he can finish tidily over the last two holes and get into the clubhouse at -3, he’ll be delighted.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:09 , Luke Baker
A few players have moved into that group at -2, just one adrift of sole leader Ryan Fox.
Scottie Scheffler birdied the 5th, although he’s found sand from the tee at the 6th, while Keegan Bradley and Bryson DeChambeau both make back-to-back birdies to also go to -2.
US PGA Championship 2023
19:07 , Luke Baker
McIlroy made birdie in the end to move to +1 and go back to back. Heading in the right direction at last.
Here’s Rory’s absurd par save from a little earlier that provided the platform for those subsequent birdies
US PGA Championship 2023
18:57 , Luke Baker
This is what Rory McIlroy is capable of! No-one all day has reached the 617-yard par-five 4th hole green in two shots. Step forward Rory…
He thumps a 347-yard drive down the fairway and a long iron in reaches the green and leaves him a 30-foot look for eagle. Should be a birdie at worst but if he can hole the putt, he’s suddenly at evens…
Playing partner Justin Thomas lays up with his second shot but a lovely wedge leaves him a few feet for birdie. Oh no, he’s missed it wide to the left – a real opportunity gone there. Would’ve taken the defending champ to -2 and just one stroke off the lead.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:52 , Luke Baker
Scheffler scrambles a par at 12 after his tee shot ended up against a tree. Important save as he stays nicely at -1.
Things are looking less good for Jon Rahm though. You may remember he made back-to-back-to-back bogeys a little while ago – well, chalk up another… He can’t pull off a miraculous par save from a similar position off the green to McIlroy at the 2nd (his 11th). So the reigning Masters champion drops to +3.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:48 , Luke Baker
After a double bogey at his 10th, Jordan Spieth has a brilliant look at birdie at 11 but it lips out. Just too much pace. He then follows that with a bogey at his 12th hole, so from being evens at the turn he’s suddenly +3 and his tournament is starting to look in jeopardy.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:45 , Luke Baker
Well that’s one way to make birdie! New Zealand’s Ryan Fox moves to -3, our sole leader, and chuckles disbelievingly to himself. That’s because the son of All Blacks rugby fly-half legend Grant Fox had the sort of shank off the tee that both rugby kickers and golfer dread!
He went way right at the 14th but got a decent lie, somehow muscled the ball on to the green and then made a 20-foot putt for the birdie. Incredible stuff
US PGA Championship 2023
18:41 , Luke Baker
A patented Rory charge coming? That ludicrous par save might just have inspired him. A gorgeous iron on the par-three 3rd is on the perfect line and feeds towards the hole. Only a few feet left and he taps in the birdie to move to +2 – great response from McIlroy.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Thomas saves par with a 25-footer to stay at -1. Great roll by Justin!
We’ve also got some movement at the top of the leaderboard – Canada’s Corey Conners pulls out a birdie at the 12th to move to -2 and he’s joined by Viktor Hovland. The Norwegian star has recovered brilliantly after bogeying two of the first three holes. He made three birdies on the spin immediately following that and now, at the 2nd (his 11th), he rolls in a fourth birdie.
Theegala can’t make par from 17 feet at 13, meaning he drops back to -1. So it’s Conners, Hovland and Fox top of the pile at -2.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:29 , Luke Baker
McIlroy’s playing partners also finish off the hole. Justin Thomas safely in with a par to stay at -1 while Collin Morikawa makes a nice putt but it’s for bogey. Back-to-back dropped shots for Morikawa to go to +1
Meanwhile, things are even worse for Jordan Spieth. At the 1st (his 10th) he hooks his drive into a bunker and has to come out sideways. His third shot leave him with a lengthy par putt which comes up a long way short. He then misses the bogey putt and it’s a double-bogey six. Hmmm, a three putt really not what he needed there. Spieth falls to +2
US PGA Championship 2023
18:24 , Luke Baker
Oh Rory, Rory Rory. A horrible-looking pitch from the front of the green (needing to get up and down to save par), having to flight it over a bunker and land it on a small patch on green. He can’t hold it and it runs off the back, going down a hill and into trouble. More shots will be going here for McIlroy.
OH NO THEY WON’T! He’s holed out! From off the back of the green, putting up a long hill of fringe he gets his line right and the ball races into the hole. Incredible par-save from McIlroy who sports a sheepish grin. Can that spark his round and turn things round? He’s still at +3 remember
US PGA Championship 2023
18:19 , Luke Baker
Here was that Shane Lowry birdie from off the green using the Texas wedge!
US PGA Championship 2023
18:18 , Luke Baker
The wind is getting up at Oak Hill and it’s becoming a very testing course. More US Open than US PGA at the moment.
The scores are reflecting that with only two men (Fox and Theegala) at -2 and no-one else better than -1. Some top players in that group one shot behind though including Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau, who just birdied his 7th hole to move to -1. Ex-leaders Kazuki Higa and Callum Tarren also there.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:14 , Luke Baker
Jon Rahm looking to stop the bleeding after back-to-back bogeys. Nice approach shot into 18 (his 9th) gives him an outside birdie look but should be par at the very least.
Rory McIlroy meanwhile is in trouble at the 1st (his 10th), deep in the right rough and can’t reach the green. He’s already at +3 and can’t afford any more mistakes but will be fighting to save par
Oh hello Shane Lowry! The Irishman putts from off the green, about 60 feet, at the 1st (his 10th) and holes out! A much-needed birdie from the 2019 Open champion after two bogeys in his first nine holes and he’s at +1.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:09 , Luke Baker
Disaster for our surprise leader Kazuki Higa at the 6th (his 15th) as he ends up with a lengthy putt for bogey that comes up short. He taps in but that’s a double-bogey six and he drops back to -1.
After Keegan Bradley double bogeys the par-three 15th to also drop back to -1, Sahith Theegala has sole possession of the lead at -3 through 11.
But that doesn’t last long! A par putt from eight feet or so slips by the hole on the 12th, so he bogeys and drops to -2. Theegala now shares the lead with New Zealander Ryan Fox.
US PGA Championship 2023
18:04 , Mike Jones
Jon Rahm is followin Rory McIlroy and moving the wrong way on the leaderboard.
Six feet below the green he tries to wedge his ball in close and it finishes 18 feet short of the hole. The par putt then misses and its successive bogeys for the Masters champ.
He’s now (+2).
US PGA Championship 2023
17:56 , Mike Jones
A solid first nine holes from Jordan Spieth sees him record a par on the 18th hole. One birdie, one bogey and seven pars for the injured Spieth will make him pleased with the day so far.
A couple of birdies on the back nine and he’s right in contention.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:54 , Mike Jones
18th hole: Rory McIlroy bogeys the 18th sliding a putt down the slope past the lip of the hole. That’s three dropped shots in four holes for the Northern Irishman.
He needs a big front nine to get the round back on track.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:50 , Mike Jones
Corey Connors has dropped back to one under as Sahith Theegala birdies 11 to move into a share of the lead. Things are happening on the leaderboard but it’s not easy to score out there.
On the 15th par-3 Keegan Bradley misses the green and sinks his tee shot into the greenside bunker. It’s stuck pretty deep in the sand too, that’ll be a tricky one to get close.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:45 , Mike Jones
16th hole: Dropped shot!
Jon Rahm pushes his drive into the rough and compounds the error with a second shot that leaves him further in trouble.
His third sends the ball scuttling 15 foot past the hole and the return putt misses the cup. A bogey drops him back to level par for the round.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:41 , Mike Jones
11th hole: Sahith Theegala you beauty! The par-3 11 is one of the holes that rewards aggressive play and punishes tee shots that go slightly wrong.
Theegala targets the pin, lands the ball just short and rolls it up to within a foot. That’s a certain birdie for him, he’ll soon take a share of the lead.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:38 , Mike Jones
18th hole: Collin Morikawa is starting to click into gear. He drills his tee shot into the middle of the fairway on the 18th then follows up with an approach iron that lands smack in the middle of the green.
He’s got a birdie putt coming up but he’ll be slightly disappointed not to be closer.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:34 , Mike Jones
US PGA Championship 2023
17:29 , Mike Jones
Rory McIlroy’s round is in danger of falling apart. It’s never really got into top gear and a couple of bogeys have put him in the black at (+2) thru eight.
On the 18th tee, McIlroy’s ninth hole of the day, he unleashed the driver but hooks it well wide of the fairway and finds the rough.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:27 , Mike Jones
Cameron Smith makes a fantastic save from a greenside bunker on the short 15th. He went chasing the pin off the tee but got it wrong and ended up in the sand.
A powerful stroke chips the ball into the bank and onto the green leaving him eight feet to save par. Which he does.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:18 , Mike Jones
15th hole: Jon Rahm has a long, slightly right to left putt on the 15th for a birdie. It’s uphill and he nails it but the ball rolls past leaving him with a simple putt for par.
Back on the ninth, Sahith Theegala chips in from the back edge of the green! He’s now (-2) for the day. That’s a great start to his opening round.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:14 , Mike Jones
Here’s Bradley moving to the top of the leaderboard:
US PGA Championship 2023
17:08 , Mike Jones
13th hole: Take a bow Keegan Bradley!
That’s a lovely shot from the middle right side of the fourth green. A swinging putt from right to left, about 12 feet out from the hole never leaves the middle of the cup and Bradley has a third consecutive birdie.
He joins Kazuki Higa at the top of the leaderboard.
US PGA Championship 2023
17:05 , Mike Jones
16th hole: Rory McIlroy is just off the front edge of the green and has a long ranged birdie putt. It would a spectacular shot if it drops but McIlroy gets the pace right and leaves himself with a couple of feet for par. Nice shot.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:58 , Mike Jones
3rd hole: Keegan Bradley shuffles up the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies on the second and third. There’s been talk that the American is in good form and could be a worthy outside bet to come close this week and he’s starting his round in fine fashion.
Bradley is two-under thru three and one shot off the lead.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:56 , Mike Jones
15th hole: Rory McIlroy’s streak of pars comes to an end and not in the way he would have hoped. He thinks there’s a bit of right to left in the his par putt but the ball doesn’t stray off its line and rolls past.
McIlroy moves into the black with his first bogey.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:48 , Mike Jones
A good up-and-down from Kazuki Higa on the 1st hole sees him rescue a par to maintain his position at the top of the leaderboard. The last three holes have been challenging for him but the leader has hung in there well.
Up on the 9th hole Ryan Fox moves to (-2) with a well composed birdie.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:41 , Mike Jones
4th hole: After a steady start Matt Fiztpatrick drops a shot on the fourth. He leaves himself with a 27-footer and fizzes it three feet past.
Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith both settle for pars.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:35 , Mike Jones
18th hole: Kazuki Higa sees out his first nine holes with a comfortable par. He’s three under as he moves onto the front nine, can the man from Japan extend his lead?
US PGA Championship 2023
16:26 , Mike Jones
14th hole: Finally! Scottie Scheffler has cut a frustrated figure through these first few holes but sinks a 14 footer on the 14th to move into the red for the first time. He’s now one under.
Brooks Koepka follows him in for a birdie of his own to move back to even par.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:24 , Mike Jones
3rd hole: Hello Callum Tarren. The Englishman guides a seven or eight foot putt into the cup on the third to record a second consecutive birdie.
That moevs him into second place.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:15 , Mike Jones
Textbook.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:12 , Mike Jones
The tricky 17th is Kazuki Higa’s undoing thru the back nine and he drops hist first shot of the round. A five brings him a bogey and he drops back to three-under.
The lead drops to two.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:11 , Mike Jones
12th hole: Oh yes! Cameron Smith (-1) gets one to drop on 12 after a serious lenghty putt which traversed most of the green. The ball approached the hole at some lick so it’s a good job it dropped for him.
Up on 13 Collin Morikawa (-1) rolls one in to move into the red too.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:09 , Mike Jones
13th hole: Rory McIlroy navigates another hole where he found the rough and collects his fourth par of the round. He’s playing okay but will want to find more fairways to set up birdie putts.
Justin Thomas rolls in for par on 13 too.
US PGA Championship 2023
16:08 , Mike Jones
Latest leaderboard: *denotes a start from the 10th tee.
Kazuki Higa (-4) thru seven*
Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Zach Johnson, Emiliano Grillo, Ryan Fox, K.H. Lee, Scott Stallings, Harold Varner III, Kurt Kitayama, Lee Hodges, Luke Donald, Justin Suh (-1)
US PGA Championship 2023
15:50 , Mike Jones
12th hole: Solid play from Justin Thomas who follows up his opening birdie with consecutive pars. The talk concerning him this week was whether he could get his putting game to click.
If he does he’ll put himself into contention as he’ll create chance to score well.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:47 , Mike Jones
US PGA Championship 2023
15:43 , Mike Jones
Scott Stallings and Ryan Fox have bogeyed the 13th and 5th holes respectively to move back to one under par.
Kazuki Higa’s great day goes on with a par on 15 to follow up his run of four birdies. He now leads by three.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:40 , Mike Jones
12th hole: Dropped shot! A mistake off the tee meant that Brooks Koepka was on the backfoot throughout the hole but he manages to set up a putt for par.
It doesn’t drop though and Koepka moves into the black at (+1).
US PGA Championship 2023
15:38 , Mike Jones
There’s a bunch of people now hitting the red with US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson recording his first birdie. Colin Inglis is also underpar and Jon Rahm birdies the first to move (-1) thru one.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:36 , Mike Jones
Speith (+1) did roll in for bogey over on the 10th green.
12th hole: Brooks Koepka, having just chipped in on the 11th to save par finds the rough from the tee. He caresses his next stroke towards the dancefloor in a dainty, delicate effort. Fine work.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:27 , Mike Jones
10th hole: I may have put the jinx on Jordan Spieth. From the middle of the fairway he’s left himself in trouble and misses a putt for par.
There’s still work to do for him but he should limit the damage to just a bogey.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:26 , Mike Jones
11th hole: Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas both drill their tee shots on the par-3 into the far side of the green and leave themselves with tricky two putts to claim pars.
Over on the 1st hole Jon Rahm, the Masters champion, blazes his first shot of the tournament into the middle of the fairway.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:23 , Mike Jones
14th hole: Oh my! Kazuki Higa is on the march!
He missed out on a birdie on the 10th hole by a millimetre when his ball lipped out of the hole. Since then he’s tallied up four birdies in a row and is four under thru five.
His lead over Scott Stallings extends to two.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:22 , Mike Jones
11th hole: Scottie Scheffler has found himself off target with both of his opening tee shots today. On the 11th he finds the bunker on the right side of the green before chipping it to within a couple of feet.
That should be another par.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:19 , Mike Jones
10th hole: Spieth is following McIlroy’s group and gets his round underway with a glorious drive into the fairway. I think the American’s chances this week have been undersold and wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s in contention on Sunday.
Up ahead on the green McIlroy is safely in for par but Justin Thomas puts down an early marker with a long putt to notch up an opening birdie.
Nicely done!
US PGA Championship 2023
15:15 , Mike Jones
10th hole: A well-judged putt from Brooks Koepka on rolls close allowing him to tap in for par. Gary Woodland follows the same line and also scoots past .
He’s left with three feet and knocks it in for par.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:11 , Mike Jones
10th hole: Rory is left with 100 yards to the pin after finding the rough off the opening tee. The angle to hole isn’t great for him and he bails out to the right.
He’ll be targeting a par from here but there’s still an outside chance of making birdie.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:07 , Mike Jones
13th hole: Kazuki Higa is now the outright leader after a third successive birdie. It’s been a mightily impressive start from the Japanese star.
Back on the 10th Scheffler misses his birdie putt and has to settle for a par.
US PGA Championship 2023
15:05 , Mike Jones
10th hole: Rory McIlroy is playing alongside Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas for these opening two rounds. Like Scheffler they’re starting on the 10th and just like the world no. 2 McIlroy finds the left side rough with the tee shot.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:58 , Mike Jones
10th hole: Scheffler has a decent lay in the second cut of rough and it shows. His approach to the green is quality and he’ll have the chance to birdie his opening hole.
Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy is heading to the tee.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:52 , Mike Jones
The World no. 2 Scottie Scheffler gets his opening round started on the 10th tee. He nails the first shot in the rough over to the left side of the fairway. Not a terrible shot but work to do.
Brooks Koepka, one of his playing partners, takes out the driver and launches his effort into the fairway.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:49 , Mike Jones
11th hole: Lovely work from Emiliano Grillo. He’s in trouble off the tee on 11, sending the ball over the back of the green at the par-3.
His recovery shot leaves him with a lenghty putt for par but the Argentine knocks it in and moves on.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:47 , Mike Jones
Here’s Scott Stalling’s opening eagle, just take a look at this one!
US PGA Championship 2023
14:44 , Mike Jones
Scott Stallings has played in five PGA Championships but has only made the cut once. That was 10 years ago in the tournament played here at Oak Hill.
12th hole: Higa takes a share of the lead with a long putt on the 12th. He hits it hard but the ball never leaves the hole and drops in.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:39 , Mike Jones
1st hole: Oh wow! Scott Stallings propels himself into the lead with an eagle at the first. His approach from the fairway is glorious and he drops it straight into the cup.
What a shot!
US PGA Championship 2023
14:37 , Mike Jones
10th hole: Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo is off to the perfect start with a birdie at the 10th. The back half of the course seems to be easier to get after in these early stages.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:25 , Mike Jones
11th hole: Kazuki Higa is the first man into the red with a lovely birdie on the 11th to move to (-1). Josh Speight follows him in for a birdie of his own and moves back to level par.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:21 , Mike Jones
11th hole: After an opening bogey on the 10th, Josh Speight laces his tee shot on the par-3 11 right into the middle of the green and sets up a 10 foot birdie chance to get the dropped shot back immediately.
Nice shot.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:17 , Mike Jones
1st hole: Joel Dahman’s opening tee shot left him in the middle of the fairway and he sets himself up with a good birdie chance after nailing his approach just to the left of the hole.
The putt is a little left to right but Dahmen slides it wide!
US PGA Championship 2023
14:15 , Mike Jones
US PGA Championship 2023
14:10 , Mike Jones
Braden Shattuck leaves himself with a testing six footer to earn a par on the opening hole. He rolls it in confidently and walks off with a satisfied nod.
That’s pars all round for the opening trio.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:07 , Mike Jones
Shaun Micheel opens his round with a nicely worked par on the first.
Rory McIlroy is on the practice range going through a few chip shots. He’ll be teeing off in about an hour’s time.
US PGA Championship 2023
14:05 , Mike Jones
The delay has been good in pnoe aspect. Players and club pros who wouldn’t usually make the television coverage have their opening shots covered.
Ben Griffin, Chris French and Joel Dahmen are the next trio to get underway.
US PGA Championship 2023
13:59 , Mike Jones
Shattuck and Alker are safely away too and the PGA Championship finally begins in all its glory. It’s double play this afternoon meaning that there are players teeing off on the 10th hole.
Trey Mullinax, Josh Speight, and Kazuki Higa have kicked off their rounds with the opening hole on the back nine.
We’re underway!
13:53 , Mike Jones
Shaun Micheel takes a three wood and smokes the first tee shot right into the middle of the fairway. The 2023 PGA Championship is underway!
US PGA Championship 2023
13:52 , Mike Jones
Shaun Micheel, winner of the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, is on the tee and will hit the first shot.
Micheel is playing alongside fellow American Braden Shattuck and New Zealander Steven Alker.
US PGA Championship 2023
13:46 , Mike Jones
Here’s a look at the updated tee times for day one’s marquee groups. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler are all in action this afternoon.
Rory McIlroy was right to take a break after the Masters
13:41 , Mike Jones
Rory McIlroy was right to take a break after his miserable Masters experience in order to avoid a destructive trip down a “rabbit hole”, according to double US Open champion Curtis Strange.
McIlroy did not speak to waiting reporters after a second round of 77 at Augusta National brought a premature end to his latest bid to win a green jacket and complete the career grand slam.
The world number three then withdrew from the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, meaning he missed his second ‘designated event’ of the year on the PGA Tour and lost 25 per cent of his Player Impact Program bonus (£2.4million).
Rory McIlroy was right to take a break after the Masters – Curtis Strange
‘Irresponsible’ talk of LIV players on US Ryder Cup team dismissed by captain Zach Johnson
13:36 , Mike Jones
Captain Zach Johnson insists the possibility of LIV Golf players making the US Ryder Cup team is currently “not even a discussion item”.
American players remain eligible for the biennial contest despite being banned or resigning from the PGA Tour in the wake of joining the Saudi-funded circuit.
Six players will qualify automatically for the team and Johnson will select six wild cards, with Brooks Koepka (22nd) the highest-ranked LIV player following his share of second place in the Masters.
‘Irresponsible’ talk of LIV players on US Ryder Cup team dismissed by Zach Johnson
Jon Rahm hoping to ‘ride the wave’ of success at US PGA Championship
13:31 , Mike Jones
Jon Rahm hopes he can “ride the wave” of his brilliant form this season to more major success.
Rahm has won four times in 11 events in 2023, the most recent seeing him replace Scottie Scheffler as world number one after succeeding the American as Masters champion at Augusta National.
The former US Open champion is now halfway to completing a career grand slam and, with the majors coming thick and fast since the US PGA Championship moved from August to May in 2019, Rahm admits he is relishing the prospect of adding to his tally at Oak Hill this week.
Jon Rahm hoping to ‘ride the wave’ of success at US PGA Championship
Tiger Woods officially out of US PGA Championship
13:26 , Mike Jones
Tiger Woods will miss the US PGA Championship as expected after undergoing ankle surgery last month.
Woods was not included in the 155-strong field issued by the PGA of America on Wednesday for next week’s event at Oak Hill Country Club.
The final spot will be filled by the winner of the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas.
Tiger Woods officially out of US PGA Championship
Justin Thomas seeing ‘light at end of tunnel’ ahead of US PGA title defence
13:21 , Mike Jones
Justin Thomas says he is starting to see “a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel” as he heads into his US PGA title defence.
Both of Thomas’ major victories so far have come at the US PGA – 2017 and 2022 – but he has arrived at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester following a first missed cut in eight Masters appearances last month.
The 30-year-old American’s highest finish anywhere this year was fourth at the Phoenix Open, with the Valspar Championship providing Thomas’ only other top-10 result.
Justin Thomas seeing ‘light at end of tunnel’ ahead of US PGA title defence
US PGA Championship 2023
13:16 , Mike Jones
The views from the course this morning (US time). Some pesky frost, expected at this time of year in upstate New York, stuck to the ground and needed to clear before proceedings can get started.
All the golfers face an additional wait of 1hr 50 mins before they can tee off.
US PGA Championship 2023
13:11 , Mike Jones
Here’s a look at the lastest odds for the 2023 PGA Championship outright winner via Betfair. As expected Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler are the two favourites.
Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler – 13/2
Rory McIlroy – 10/1
Xander Schauffele – 11/1
Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau – 14/1
Brooks Koepka – 16/1
Jason Day – 18/1
Justin Thomas, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland – 20/1
Cameron Smith, Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Sungjae Im – 22/1
Jordan Spieth – 25/1
Max Homa, Tyrrell Hatton – 28/1
Hideki Matsuyama, Sam Burns – 33/1
Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry, Talor Gooch, Tommy Fleetwood, Wyndham Clark – 40/1
Adam Scott, Gary Woodland, Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Tom Kim – 50/1
Recent history not on Rory McIlroy’s side as he aims to win US PGA Championship
13:01 , Mike Jones
Recent history was against Rory McIlroy as he tried to bounce back from his dispiriting performance in the Masters in the 105th US PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
The last seven men’s majors have been won by players in their 20s, a streak beginning with Jon Rahm’s victory in the 2021 US Open and extended by the Spaniard’s triumph at Augusta National last month.
McIlroy, who missed the cut in the Masters after a second round of 77, turned 34 earlier this month and even the prospect of playing a major at a course where he is a member has seemingly done little to raise his spirits.
Recent history not on Rory McIlroy’s side as he aims to win US PGA Championship
US PGA Championship 2023
12:55 , Mike Jones
What difference a day makes. There was sun and smiles as the players took to the course yesterday for a practice round but overnight the frost came in and has caused this delay.
Adrian Meronk on lessons from Tiger Woods and journey to the Ryder Cup
12:50 , Mike Jones
If Luke Donald hopes to narrow and eventually close the gap between Europe and the United States behemoth to reclaim the Ryder Cup in October, it will likely require a breakout star or two. Step forward Poland’s heavy-hitting Adrian Meronk.
The 29-year-old is now a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and tucked inside the top 50 in the world after a gritty final round at Rome’s dress rehearsal at Marco Simone in the Italian Open this month.
Harnessing his imposing 6ft 5in frame, Meronk’s game is built on the sturdy foundations set from the tee box, where he holds a tour-leading +1.25 strokes gained driving this year, reinforcing a second-place finish in the same metric last year (+0.85). Fifth on tour in greens in regulation in 2023, Donald is evidently impressed and even congratulated Meronk in Rome before reaffirming that the Pole is on the right path to making the team.
Europe’s breakout star on lessons from Tiger Woods and the Ryder Cup journey
Matt Fitzpatrick excited by challenge of ‘brute of a golf course’ for US PGA
12:45 , Mike Jones
Matt Fitzpatrick insists he will relish the challenge of a “brute of a golf course” as he bids to claim a second major title in the US PGA Championship.
The renovated East Course at Oak Hill is set to provide the world’s best players with a severe test, with Robert MacIntyre also describing it as an “absolute monster” and the toughest course he has ever played.
“I’ve said it multiple times, I hate it when tournaments are 25, 30 under par to win,” said Fitzpatrick. “I don’t particularly feel like I play well in those.
“I just like it when it’s hard and you’ve got to battle and par is a good score. I just enjoy it, for whatever reason.
“From the holes that I’ve seen, there’s so many tough, tough golf holes where you have to hit just good shots. I think that’s the great thing about it, it’s a proper test.
“It’s just a brute of a golf course. It reminds me a lot of Winged Foot when we played (the 2020 US Open) just because you miss the fairways there and it was just chipping out.
“Whoever does win this week, in my opinion, will thoroughly deserve it.”
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent’s website