ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Look who’s near the top of the PGA Championship leaderboard.
Bryson DeChambeau, who’s disappeared from contention since he joined LIV Golf, charged to the clubhouse lead at Oak Hill in Thursday’s opening round a sterling 4-under-par 66.
Eric Cole, who only finished 14 holes in the afternoon wave, is in the lead at 5-under.
DeChambeau, who was among the players in the morning wave of tee times, leads Scottie Scheffler and Canadian Corey Conners, both of whom shot 67, by one shot and Keegan Bradley, one of his playing partners for the first two rounds, Viktor Hovland and Ryan Fox from New Zealand by two shots after they posted 68s.
“It’s a fantastic round of golf at Oak Hill, it’s a prestigious place, a very difficult golf course,’’ DeChambeau said afterward. “As I was looking at it throughout the week, I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t know how shooting under par is even possible out here on some of the golf holes.’ But luckily, I was able to play some really good golf, hit a lot of fairways, did my job and made some putts.’’
Before a tie for fifth at the most recent LIV event, last week in Tulsa, DeChambeau’s best finish on the Saudi-backed tour was a tie for 16th among the five tournaments he’s played this year.
Bryson DeChambeau waves after his chip on the 16th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship. AP
Keegan Bradley chips to the green on the 15th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship. APHe missed the cut at the Masters last month.
“The emotions have definitely fluctuated pretty high and pretty low, thinking I have something and it fails and going back and forth,’’ DeChambeau said of his spotty form. “It’s humbling. Golf and life always has a good way of kicking you on your you know what when you are on your high horse. It’s nice to feel this today.’’
Bradley afterward said he was “happy’’ for DeChambeau.
Scottie Scheffler hits from the fairway on the 18th hole during a practice around for the PGA Championship. AP“Geez, he played great,’’ Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner, said. “It looked like Bryson to me. He hit the ball great, putted great, drove it really nice. It was good to see him. He was smashing drives again, and he played pretty much flawless golf.’’
Among some top players who were not flawless on Thursday included world No. 1 and reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm, who shot a 6-over-par 76, reigning U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick (76), two-time PGA winner Brooks Koepka (72), Jordan Spieth (73), Cam Smith (72), defending champion Justin Thomas (72), Rory McIlroy (71) and Collin Morikawa (71).
