PGA Championship at a glance

Thu, May 18, 2023
Other News (AP)

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) - A brief look at the opening round of the PGA Championship:

AT THE TOP: PGA Tour rookie Eric Cole was at 5 under through 14 holes when the first round at Oak Hill was suspended due to darkness at around 8:30 p.m. EDT. Cole, making his first appearance at the PGA, posted six birdies against one bogey. He was in the fairway on the par-4 sixth when he stopped play.

IN THE HUNT: Bryson DeChambeau put together his best first round at a major since the 2019 Masters, firing a 4-under 66 to lead the morning wave. Dustin Johnson bogeyed the ninth, his last of the day, to finish at 3-under 67, joining a group that includes world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler, who shot his first bogey-free round in a major.

RAHM RECEDES: Masters champion and world No. 1 Jon Rahm endured his worst opening round at a major since the 2018 U.S. Open, posting a 6-over 76. Rahm birdied his first and last holes but had six bogeys and a double bogey in between.

Golf

AILING: Jordan Spieth's attempt to play through a left wrist injury in hopes of completing the career grand slam got off to a bumpy start. Spieth shot a 3-over 73 while sporting a copious amount of tape on the banged-up wrist.

CHILLY START: Tee times were pushed back nearly two hours due to overnight frost in western New York. The delay meant those in the latter stages of the afternoon wave didn't begin their rounds until well after 4 p.m. p.m. EDT. Ten groups were unable to complete their rounds before play was suspended.

FORE!: While DeChameabeau's driving helped vault him to the top of the leaderboard, not everything was perfect. His approach shot on the par-4 17th bopped Kenny Pigman on the head while Pigman prepared to tee off on 18. DeChambeau pitched on and settled for bogey.

KEY STATISTIC: Sheffler was the only player currently ranked in the top 10 in the world to break par.

SHOT OF THE DAY: Scott Stallings began the tournament with a bang. Playing in the fourth group off the back nine, Stallings holed out from 128 yards for an eagle on the par-4 10th. The shot marked the third time in the last four years that a player made an eagle on a par-4 on his first hole of a PGA Championship.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm so glad to be done. I'm just fried." - Keegan Bradley after shooting 2-under 68.

UP NEXT: The opening round is scheduled to resume at 7 a.m. EDT on Friday morning.

TELEVISION: Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ESPN+), 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT (ESPN).

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