So far Scottie Scheffler and TPC Harding Park are a perfect fit. But, as he says, “It’s only the first round.” On Friday, he will be in the afternoon wave. And this time he won’t be flying under the radar.
As surprises go, Scheffler certainly qualifies. Playing in his first PGA Championship – and only his fourth major – the 24-year-old out of the University of Texas handled TPC Harding Park in 4-under 66 to land high on the leaderboard after Thursday’s opening round.
Scheffler, who won twice last year on the Korn Ferry Tour, was T-55 then missed three consecutive cuts when the PGA Tour restarted in June, but showed signs of getting it together when he was T-22 in the Memorial and then T-15 last week at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
“I definitely got off to a slow start when golf started back up, but just a little competitive rust,” he said Thursday. “Just wasn't swinging my best. But kind of found a rhythm the past couple weeks.”
That rhythm carried over into the first round of the PGA Championship. Playing in the first group out at 7:05 off No. 10, Scheffler made birdies on three of the first four holes as he put together six birdies and only two bogeys in good scoring conditions that was warmer and less windy than in practice rounds.
“It was a solid start,” he said. “Put myself in a good position on 10, had a nice up-and-down there, and then 11, hit a great shot in there probably 20 feet, something like that, made the putt. And then 13 is another difficult hole that -- hit an iron shot in there really close and made another birdie.”
Scheffler didn’t hit it long – well outside the top half of the field in driving distance – but did a good job of keeping the ball out of the penal rough, which early returns indicate will be one of the keys this week.
“I like the look of this golf course,” Scheffler said. “I think it's really cool with the cypress trees and the thick rough. The holes are shaped really nicely off the tee. I think it's a really cool place. The greens are really good.”
