US PGA Championship 2026: Scottie Scheffler shares lead as Aronimink bites back on day one

Heading into this week’s US PGA Championship, there was curiosity as to how Aronimink would play and what kind of challenge he would present.

There was a strong feeling that Pennsylvania was ready to be tamed.

Instead of tickling his belly and rolling, Aronimink backed off a bit on the first day of the season’s second major. He pulled back sharply.

By the end of Thursday’s first round, only 32 players – barely a fifth of the 156-man field – had finished below par.

The world’s best struggled to cope with the task presented by an undulating course with thick, uneven and sloping greens.

Accordingly, the world A lot the best – Scottie Scheffler – who copes as well as anyone.

The reigning champion is part of a seven-way tie for the lead in the first round after recording a three-under 67 that epitomizes his ability to play with relentless effort and the slightest surprise.

The world number one has often struggled to make fast starts – a trait that has proven particularly costly this season – but has now blown out to a big lead after 18 holes for the first time in his career.

But the 29-year-old American isn’t surrounded by the usual suspects.

Scheffler finds himself alongside German couple Martin Kaymer and Stephan Jaeger, South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, Australia’s Min-Woo Lee, Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune and the USA’s Alex Smalley; A duo that none of them expected to see at the top of the leaderboard.

“There was some chatter earlier in the week that people thought he was going to win 15 to 20 under par. And I think that caught the attention of someone at the PGA. [of America]and they did something about it,” said Spaniard Jon Rahm, who finished below par.