Defending champion Brooks Koepka leads the LIV Golf charge after day one of the PGA Championship after a solid 67 (-4).
The three-time PGA Champion and former World No.1 came into the week as one of the favorites after his LIV Golf win in Singapore earlier this month and he looks set to challenge for Major number six over the weekend if he can continue his form.
Koepka made three birdies and an eagle with just one dropped shot in his opening 67, which leaves him five back of Xander Schauffele after his record-breaking 62.
The Floridian is a man for the big occasion and feels at home in golf’s biggest events, which he puts down to his patience.
“Just stay patient. That’s what Majors are all about, I think,” he said.
“You can’t win it today, but you just try to hang around and give yourself a chance or in a good spot come Sunday.
“I definitely thought it was out there. Soft conditions, especially with the grass change, instead of having the bent, that zoysia make it a little bit easier I think, a little wet. But it was definitely out there.
“I just stayed patient. Ricky kept me telling all day just stay patient, wait your turn, and I think that’s one of the things I’m exceptionally well at. Sometimes you’re in a round of golf, you’ve just got to wait your turn and catch that run like I did with an eagle-birdie.”
Koepka is one clear of fellow LIV players Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and 2010 PGA Champion Martin Kaymer, with Lucas Herbert, Dean Burmester and Patrick Reed at -2.
Jon Rahm, arguably LIV’s biggest signing to date, got off to a nightmare start with four bogeys in his first six holes and was out in three-over but came home in 32 to post a miraculous 70 (-1).
Rahm’s close friend and two-time PGA Champion Phil Mickelson went the other way after a brilliant birdie 2 at the long par 3 14th got him to one-under. Lefty finished bogey-bogey-par-double to drop down to three-over.
Of the 16 in the field, half are under par after day one, two are level par and six are over par.
LIV Golf Leaderboard At The PGA Championship: Round 1
- T12 -4 Brooks Koepka
- T18 -3 Martin Kaymer
- T18 -3 Cameron Smith
- T18 -3 Bryson DeChambeau
- T32 -2 Lucas Herbert
- T32 -2 Dean Burmester
- T32 -2 Patrick Reed
- T47 -1 Jon Rahm
- T65 E Tyrrell Hatton
- T65 E Talor Gooch
- T85 +1 David Puig
- T108 +2 Dustin Johnson
- T108 +2 Andy…
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