Scheffler Cards His First Bogey-Free Round in a Major

Scottie Scheffler knew through his preparation at Oak Hill Country Club that the PGA Championship would be a tough test. But his practice rounds also revealed that the historic and recently renovated venue would also reward good shots. Thursday morning, Scheffler was rewarded as the world No. 2 carded a quiet round of three under par, 67 for his first bogey-free round in a major championship.

“This place is pretty tough. I came into today's round just trying to play solid golf,” said Scheffler, who began his day on the back nine. “I kept the course in front of me for the most part and hit some really good tee shots on the important holes. Then I had some nice saves as well.”

Scheffler’s bogey-free day during the morning wave was made all the more impressive as the rest of the field was averaging well over-par. Only about a dozen players were under par during the early draw, when Scheffler said birdie opportunities were limited and he remained focused on minimizing mistakes.

“Today was probably the easiest conditions we'll see all week with the golf course. So getting around with no bogeys was really good,” said Scheffler, expecting windier conditions as the week progresses. “It's just one of those places where you hit one shot maybe barely offline, and sometimes you can hit a good shot and end up in a place where it's pretty penalizing. There's lots of tough holes out there.”

Scheffler’s solid start comes as no surprise to those who have been following his performance over the last season. The American hasn’t had a finish outside the top 12 since October 2022 and is already a two-time winner this season with victories at the WM Phoenix Open and THE PLAYERS. Scheffler has racked up seven more top 10s this season, which have prepped and primed him to face the challenge at Oak Hill.

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“I feel like my game is better suited for this kind of test. I don't know if the results will say that, but I feel like I get more excited for a tournament like this versus a birdie fest like last week,” said Scheffler about his tie for fifth last week in Dallas. “But going into these events, whether it's an easy or hard course, I'm still trying to stay patient. If I execute appropriately and hit good shots, I'm going to score well whether it's an easy or hard golf course.”

Scheffler is making his fifth PGA Championship appearance. His best finish came in a tie for fourth at TPC Harding Park in 2020.

“No matter what position I'm in going into tomorrow, I would be grinding it out. This is one of those places where that's what you have to do,” Scheffler said about his plan for Friday. “You just try and stay in position, make the important par putts and just keep the momentum going. I did a good job of that today.”