McIlroy uses one-word expletive to describe his awful opening round at US PGA Championship

12:29am

Striding up the last

Scottie Scheffler found the fairway off the final tee but his approach comes up just short of the green. Matt Fitzpatrick will have an outside chance of a birdie whilst Justin Rose, who found thick rough off the tee, will have a tough up-and-down for par.

12:23am

Justin Thomas finishes up

The American rolls in his par putt on 18 to finish his opening round on one under after a round of 69.

12:17am

Just one more hole to go

Scheffler has had a big break. His tee shot on the 17th just rolls off the green and goes into the rough, giving him a tough chip onto the green. However, he gets the chance of a free drop due to a sprinkler, which puts it now onto the green for a putt rather than a chip. The World No 1 walks away with a par.

Fitzpatrick and Rose settle for pars as well.

Back on the 16th, Alex Smalley is the latest player to move to three under after a birdie on the par five. He played a lot of that hole in quite a similar way to how Scheffler just did.

12:03am Key moments

Joining the co-leaders

Scottie Scheffler does a great job to come away from the 16th with a birdie. After his tee shot found the rough, he has to lay up but his third shot is sublime, setting up a birdie chance which he takes to join the co-leaders on three under.

Matt Fitzpatrick rolls in his birdie effort, his first of the day, and moves to even par.

Justin Rose has to settle for a par to remain at even par.

11:57pm

Missed opportunity

Patrick Reed has a birdie chance on his final hole of the day to join the co-leaders on three under but is just slides by. He putts in for the par and is only man to register a bogey-free round today.

11:48pm Video

Great end for Shane Lowry

The Irishman was aggressive with his approach into the 18th and is rewarded as his birdie putt drops to take him to two under after a good round of 68. Lowry is just the one shot off the lead.

11:46pm

Bogey for Thomas

The American is punished for his inaccuracy off the tee at 16, walking away with a bogey to drop back to one under.

Back on the tee Scottie Scheffler finds the rough.

11:43pm

Big par save

Justin Rose did not want to see his momentum stalled after consecutive birdies at 13 and 14 but leaves himself a tough putt to save par at the 15th. He rolls that one in to remain at even par. Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick also make par.

11:39pm

In trouble again

Justin Thomas’ progress had been quite serene for much of this round but he has just lost his way a touch. After damage limitation at the 14th, he finds the thick rough off the tee at 15. He then makes the mistake of biting off more than he can chew with his second, not getting out of the rough. He then goes for the green with his third but does not find it. He would be probably be quite relieved to escape this par five with a par.

11:34pm

Into the red

Robert MacIntyre rolls in a birdie putt on the par-five 16th to move to one under. He is joined at that mark by Collin Morikawa, who has made a birdie at the par-three 17th.

11:24pm

Surprising bogey for Scheffler

He found the green off the tee but a long way from the hole. His birdie putt came up short and then the par putt slides by the right edge, meaning he drops back two under. Fitzpatrick gets in for par but he is not happy as he walks off the green.

Meanwhile Martin Kaymer nearly takes the outright lead on his final hole of the day but his eagles putt just misses the hole. The German walks off with a birdie to finish up on three under and a share of the lead. American Alex Smalley has also reached that mark.

11:22pm Video

Much-needed momentum

Justin Rose cut a frustrated figure earlier today but he now has a spring in his step. Following a birdie on 13, the Englishman has managed to make birdie on 14. He found the bunker off the tee but has chipped in to move to even par. What about his two playing partners?

Both Fitzpatrick and Scheffler have long, long birdie putts but neither can take them. Both now have slightly tricky par putts coming up...

11:15pm

Good on you Rory!

McIlroy has been on the range for some time after a tough day at the office but, before leaving, he is signing plenty of autographs and posing for some photos.

11:07pm

Finally one drops

Justin Rose has had to wait until the 13th hole to make a birdie but finally a putt drops for the Englishman, who improves to one over. It has been a frustrating day for Rose but can he get some momentum going?

Matt Fitzpatrick also makes par to remain at even par. 13 straight pars; talk about consistency!

11:06pm

Damage limitation for Justin Thomas

The two-time PGA Championship winner was having a fine round but the 14th is proving to be a disaster for the American. After that woeful tee shot that went left, his attempted chip onto the green only finds the rough, which then leaves a tough third shot. It appears he is set for a double bogey with a monster putt for bogey but somehow the American sinks it to drop just the one shot. That could have been worse and he drops just one back from the leaders. That putt was hit with some speed and had to go in really or else it could have been a triple bogey.

11:01pm

Still on the range

Rory McIlroy is still hard at work on the range and will be hoping for a better day tomorrow, when he will start on four over. Here is a stat for you; McIlroy bogeyed the final four holes of a round at a major for the first time in his career.

10:57pm Key moments

Anger

Justin Thomas is going to get in trouble. He stands over his tee shot for a while on the par-three 14th, seemingly unsure of what the wind is doing, before hooking it a long way left. Just after he makes contact with the ball, he immediately knows the shot is poor and slams his club into the ground. Not a good look and, in light of Sergio Garcia’s antics at The Masters, the officials will not look at that moment fondly.

10:53pm

Inaccuracy punished

Cameron Young made an inexplicable error on 13 in finding the bunker. His shot out of the bunker does not make the green, ending up in the rough, before nearly chipping in to save par. However, he drops a shot to fall back to one over.

Justin Thomas has a chance to take the outright lead on four under but the ball stays above ground.

10:44pm

Errors aplenty

Some bad moments for a few players. On 12, Matt Fitzpatrick misses the fairway to the left and ends up the rough amongst some trees. He has to go low and try and hook it round but ends up in the bunker, not getting enough hook on the shot.

Up ahead on 13, Keegan Bradley finds the fairway off the tee but makes an inexplicable error with his second, finding the bunker. Not only that but it has plugged. Cameron Young has also found a bunker.

Then on 15, Corey Conners was one of the co-leaders on -3 but has dropped a shot.

10:38pm

Getting back on the range

We saw Bryson DeChambeau earlier going onto the range after a tough round and now Rory McIlroy has done the same.

Meanwhile back on the course, McIlroy’s good friend Shane Lowry has dropped a shot on 14 to move back to one under.

10:31pm Key moments

Consecutive birdies

Scottie Scheffler does what Matt Fitzpatrick failed to do and rolls in his birdie putt on 11. That takes the World No 1 to three under and a share of the lead.

10:30pm

The run continues

Matt Fitzpatrick eyes up a birdie on 11 to finally end the run of pars but the putt does not drop so the Yorkshireman stays at even par.

What about Scheffler?

10:25pm

Disappointment

Justin Rose is cutting a frustrated figure; he is currently a two over a few holes into his back nine. Not much has gone his way today.

10:14pm Video

Sublime from Scheffler

That is probably one of the reasons why he is World No 1 and the defending champion. At the par-four 10th, he finds the centre of the green with his approach and has a long putt for the birdie, which he drains to improve to two under, just one shot off the lead.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s run of pars continues and remains at even par.

10:12pm

Another man into the share of the lead

We now have seven men in the lead on three under. Canada’s Corey Conners has made birdies at 12 and 13, making it three birdies in five holes, to move to -3.

10:06pm

In the red

There are currently 34 players under par, all between one and three under. It will be interesting to see if anyone can move past the clubhouse lead of three under.

09:57pm

Hitting the turn

The Scheffler/Fitzpatrick/Rose group have completed their front nine, taking not a million miles off three hours to do so! Scheffler is the only one of the three in the red on one under, with Fitzpatrick still at even par after nine straight pars and Rose two over.

Scottie Scheffler just a few shots off the lead - Carolyn Kaster/AP

09:49pm

Shane Lowry on manoeuvres?

He is not getting too emotional about it but the Irishman is gaining some good momentum. Two holes after that sublime eagle on the ninth, he rolls in a birdie putt on the 11th to get to two under and just one shot off the lead. We are used to seeing plenty of emotion from Lowry but he looks zoned in and laser focused.

09:42pm

Three under the mark?

The lead has stayed at -3 for what feels like an eternity. Momentarily a few players have got to four under but the lead has maintained at three under for a while. There a few players out on the course at the moment at three under, including Justin Thomas, who has hit the turn.

Justin Thomas having a positive first round - Carl Recine/Getty Images

There are then a few players still out on the course at two under, including Englishman Aaron Rai, and then a whole hist of players at -1. Three under feels like it could be the clubhouse lead at the end of today.

09:31pm

So nearly

Matt Fitzpatrick finds the heart of the green at the par-three eighth but that leaves him a long, long putt for birdie. For a long way it appeared the ball would drop for a birdie but it goes around the hole and stays up.

Meanwhile Scottie Scheffler has escaped with a par; he found a bunker off the tee and his shot out of the bunker left him a tricky par putt but he drains it to remain at one under.

09:24pm

Farcical

We have had a queue at the par-three eighth. The Rose/Fitzpatrick/Scheffler group caught up to the Thomas/Young/Bradley group on the tee box and had to wait 20 minutes on the tee. That is unacceptable and is part of the reason why these rounds are taking so long to complete. Something needs to be done to speed up play but we have been saying that for a while. It is like the age-old cricket over-rate debate.

09:18pm

Birdie for Thomas

The American’s tee shot at the long par-three eighth is sublime, ending up just over six feet from the hole, which is the closest on this hole today. Thomas then rolls in the birdie putt, his third birdie of the day, and joins the co-leaders on three under.

Keegan Bradley rolls in his par putt to stay at even par but Cameron Young walks away with a bogey to drop back to even par.

09:10pm Video

Stunning from Lowry

From the black into the red. Shane Lowry is about to hit the turn and is at the par-five sixth. He gets to the front of the green in two and chips in for a sublime eagle to move from one over to one under.

09:02pm

Back-to-back

Scottie Scheffler did not make the best start to his opening round but now the World No 1 is getting going. A birdie at six is followed by a birdie at seven, courtesy of a long putt, and he moves to one under.

Matt Fitzpatrick rolls in a tricky par putt to make it seven straight pars to start the round.

Meanwhile we now have a seventh player up to three under and that is 2010 PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer.

Scottie Scheffler starting to gain some momentum - Michael Reaves/Getty Images

08:46pm

Birdie for Scheffler

Two holes after dropping a shot on four, the world No 1 makes a birdie on the sixth to get back to even par.

Rose meanwhile has to settle for a bogey. That drop from the roots of the tree was a penalty drop. The Englishman now drops to two over.

08:41pm

New co-leader

Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee and Ryo Hisatsune are joined at three under by American Alex Smalley. He has made his third birdie on his front nine at the fifth.

Make that six players in the co-lead at three under as Akshay Bhatia bounces back from a bogey at 10 with a birdie on 11.

08:40pm

Trouble off the tee

I hope Justin Rose was not watching Rory McIlroy’s tee shots from earlier. McIlroy had so many struggles today off the tee and Rose’s tee shot on the sixth leaks out to the right, with plenty of shouts of ‘Fore Right!’ being bellowed out. It ends up in the roots of a tree. It will still be a tricky shot from the rough as he will need to go under the tree, with a bunker right in front of the green. However, Rose’s approach shot is pretty good, finding the middle of the green.

Difficult spot - Michael Reaves/Getty Images

08:30pm

Cam Young into the red

The Players’ Champion and winner of the Cadillac Championship has made a birdie on the par-four sixth to move to one under. Coming into this PGA Championship, Young was one of the favourites, being World No 3, and is aiming to end his wait to win a major.

08:28pm

Pars all around

Scheffler is so close to bouncing back from the bogey on four with a birdie on five but the putt slides by the right edge. He remains at one over.

Rose then steps up for his birdie effort. It is not a great read as it does not turn from left to right as much as he thought. He has not been too happy thus far with his flat stick and the TV cameras have also picked up Rose already doing some stretches for his back. The Englishman stays at one over.

Fitzpatrick has a tough putt just to walk away with a par but he manages to drain it to stay at even par.

08:25pm

On the fifth

The three players in this marquee group end up in three completely different places on the par-three fifth as the wind is getting up. Fitzpatrick finds the green but all the way over on the right side, with the hole all the way over on the left. He leaves his birdie putt a long way short and has work to do to make par.

Scheffler finds the centre of the green but has 30 feet for birdie. Rose is the closest by far.

08:15pm Key moments

Problems for Scheffler

The World No 1 gets himself into trouble at the fourth, missing the green to the left with his second shot. He ends up in the thick rough, with not much green to play with. Like Cameron Young moments before, his chip ends up rolling a long way past the pin and he cannot save his par. That ends Scheffler’s run of 39 straight bogey-free holes in majors.

Scottie Scheffler’s great run without bogeys in the majors ends - Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

08:12pm

Flying start

2017 and 2022 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas has made birdies on two and now four to move to two under, one shot off the lead. Cameron Young has bogeyed the fourth and dropped back to even par.

08:09pm

Back on the range

Bryson DeChambeau struggled in his first round, carding a six-over round of 76. He is back onto the range, knowing he has plenty of work to do tomorrow.

08:07pm

New co-leader

Akshay Bhatia has had a strong front nine, with a third birdie of the round at the ninth taking him to three under. He joins Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee and Ryo Hisatsune at -3.

Strong start from Akshay Bhatia - Frank Franklin II/AP

08:03pm

Birdie for Bradley

The 2025 US Ryder cup captain dropped a shot with a bogey on the third but has bounced straight back with a birdie on the fourth to move back to even par.

The man who got the better of him, Luke Donald, has dropped a shot on the seventh and goes back to one under.

07:58pm

Slip up

Justin Rose had started with back-to-back pars from his first two holes but drops a shot on the third. He found the green in two but walks away with a bogey after a three-putt. The costly shot was his birdie putt, which went a way past the hole and he could then not mop up for par.

Matt Fitzpatrick and Scottie Scheffler walk away with pars to remain at even par through three holes.

07:43pm

Fine start

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has begun positively, making back-to-back birdies on five and six to move to two under.

Back on the third, World No 3 Cameron Young, who won a few weeks ago at the Cadillac Championship, has made a birdie to go to one under.

07:38pm Analysis

“I’m just not driving the ball well enough”

Rory McIlroy delivered an honest assessment after a four-over 74 that, at the moment, leaves him outside the top 100 on the leaderboard.

“I’m just not driving the ball well enough,” he said, after missing nine of the 14 fairways. “It’s been a problem all year. I miss it right, and then I want to try to correct it, and then I’ll overdo it, and then I’ll miss it left. It’s a bit of back and forth that way. So that’s pretty frustrating, especially when I pride myself on driving the ball well.

“Coming in here, I honestly thought I’d figured it out. I hit it well on Sunday at Quail Hollow, and then hit it good at home on Monday. Obviously I had to curtail the practice round Tuesday, but hit it I decent yesterday. But once I get under the gun, it just seems like it starts to go a little bit wayward on me.”

McIlroy stressed that the blister on the small toe of his right foot that cut short that practice round on Tuesday was not a hindrance.

A difficult opening round - Jamie Squire/Getty Images

07:24pm

Missed opportunities

Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose all found the fairway off the tee and then set themselves up with birdie chances. However, none of them can take those birdie opportunities so all three have to settle for par on the first.

07:23pm Analysis

Tee shots the problem

That was an horrific final hour or so for McIlroy. He made four successive bogeys and after a 76 will need to go low tomorrow to relaunch his challenge for the US PGA Championship. Indeed, he might have to go some simply to make the cut. Aronimink is tough, but these fairways are pretty generous, so the fact he hit only five of them shows where the fault lies. He needs to fix his driving - and quickly.

07:19pm

Difficult opening rounds

Both Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau have not had it easy today, ending up on four and six over respectively. They are seven and nine shots respectively off the lead and have work to do tomorrow but they are not out of it quite yet. Another poor round tomorrow though and not only will their hopes of winning go up in smoke but they may struggle to make the weekend. Work to do for both men.

07:11pm Key moments

Tough day concludes badly for McIlroy

It has been a shocking second nine for Rory McIlroy. His first round ends with four consecutive bogeys, five in the last six, and he finishes up on four over. His woes off the tee proved costly and he will not be happy with much from his first round to be honest.

07:08pm

On the first tee

One of the marquee groups of the first two rounds is just getting started. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler finds the fairway with his tee shot.

Matt Fitzpatrick, who has won three events on the PGA Tour this season, also finds the fairway.

World No 7 Justin Rose, who won the Farmers Insurance Open earlier in the season, makes it three tee shots out of three in the fairway.

06:59pm

Missed opportunity

Tommy Fleetwood set himself up with a good chance of a birdie on the first but his putt does not drop. A par to start for the Englishman.

Up ahead Xander Schauffele has made a par on his final hole to finish up on two under, one off the lead

06:51pm

Finishing as he started

Rory McIlroy has been dreadful off the tee today and he finishes with another wayward shot on the ninth, his last last hole of the day. I have lost count of the number of times his tee shots have leaked out to the right.

06:48pm Key moments

More strife for McIlroy

This has been a tough run since the turn for the Northern Irishman. The longer the round has gone, the more his loose tee shots have been punished. A third bogey in a row and a fourth in five holes has seen McIlroy drop back to three over with one hole remaining.

A frustrating day for Rory McIlroy - Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

06:46pm Analysis

Struggles

Bryson DeChambeau is fortunate this is a par 70 as at seven-over after 17 holes he would need a par down the last to break 80 if it was a par 72. He is already staring down a second successive missed cut in the majors and a third in the last four majors. Inevitably, there will be conjecture about his 3D-printed irons and whether the Saudi withdrawal from LIV Golf has proved a distraction. It is also understood that he has been grappling with personal issues. But it should also be noted that he has been suffering with a shoulder complaint and DeChambeau struggles when he cannot go full bore.

06:46pm Video

Stunning from Rahm

The Spaniard’s tee shot on the long par-three eighth went over the back but his short game comes up handy, chipping in for birdie to improve to even par.

Jordan Spieth’s momentum has been halted by back-to-back bogeys to drop back to one under.

06:38pm

So much more action to come

Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry are making their way onto the course to start their tournament. Here are three big groups coming in the next half an hour:

6.43pm: Chris Gotterup (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 
6.54pm: Cameron Young (US), Keegan Bradley (US), Justin Thomas (US) 
7.05pm: Scottie Scheffler (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Justin Rose (Eng)

06:33pm

Garrick Higgo speaking after his two-shot penalty

“I mean, I always cut it fine and this morning was pretty cold. I never want to get to the tee 10 minutes before and be cold when I have to hit a driver, far and straight, hopefully. I usually hit five putts before I go to the tee. My caddie dropped my Trackman in the locker. I went to the putting green thinking: ‘I still have about five minutes’, and I obviously did not. I hit one putt. I heard my name. My caddie was yelling at me. I headed down, and I got a two-shot penalty.

“He [rules official] gives me my card and says: ‘You’ve got a two-shot penalty’. I don’t think I said anything. I was going to tee off in a couple of seconds. I knew I was teeing off in a couple of seconds, so there was nothing I could do about it. I can’t argue with him, and then hit it out of bounds. As soon as he gave me the card and said I got a two-shot penalty, I was like, ‘It’s fine. We’ll sort it out later. Whether it is or isn’t’. At the time, I actually called the rules official in the fairway. A guy came to me, and I just asked him about it. He said: ‘You were late’. From then, I was just like I know that I’m even par - even though I got a two-shot penalty. I know even par around here is a good score. If I ended up shooting two-over, it was OK.”

06:25pm Key moments

Horror show goes on

One man who will want to forget this opening round in a hurry is Bryson DeChambeau. The American made four bogeys during his first nine holes and a bogey on seven (his 16th) is followed up by an absolute mare at the long par-three eighth. His tee shot misses the green before his second goes over the back of the green. His third does not make the green and he ends up walking away from the eighth with a double bogey to drop back to seven over. He is going to have his work cut out tomorrow to make the weekend.

06:22pm Key moments

More problems for McIlroy

Once again, a poor tee shot is costly for the Northern Irishman. He ends up in the thick rough to the right off the tee at the seventh and has to just hack out. He cannot get up and down to save par, dropping back to two over.

Jordan Spieth also makes a bogey on seven to drop back to two under.

06:19pm

Finishing up

A number of the players who were out early and made fine starts are coming to the end of their rounds. England’s Daniel Brown and USA’s Sahith Theegala have concluded their rounds on two under after rounds of 68. They are both just one off the lead. Co-leader Min Woo Lee has also just finished his round and goes into the clubhouse at three under like Aldrich Potgieter and Stephan Jaeger.

06:05pm

New co-leader

Jordan Spieth, who comes into another PGA Championship looking to complete the career Grand Slam, is having a strong first round. A birdie at the par-four sixth has taken the American to three under and into a share of the lead.

Strong opening round from Jordan Spieth - Matt Slocum/AP

However, the news is not so good for Rory McIlroy, who is punished for a leaky tee shot and loose second shot by making bogey. He joins the likes of Ludvig Aberg and Tyrrell Hatton on one over.

Plenty of frustration for Rory McIlroy - Matt Slocum/AP

05:59pm

No outright leader

One hole after taking the solo lead, Min Woo Lee has made a bogey on eight to drop back to three under, where Aldrich Potgieter and Stephan Jaeger are.

05:55pm

Animated

We told you about the story of Garrick Higgo’s first round, which has just come to a close. He was late for his tee time and therefore given a two-shot penalty. The South African finished up on one under but the cameras have picked him up submitting his card looking quite animated, which presumably is linked to the penalty. The rules are pretty clear-cut so I am not sure how he can dispute it.

05:53pm

Tee troubles continue

Rory McIlroy has four holes remaining in his first round and his opening round has been haunted by issues off the tee. Those continue at the par-four sixth, with the tee shot leaking out to the right. Considering those problems, he has actually done reasonably well to be even par and just four shots off the lead.

All over the place off the tee - Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

05:48pm

Some of the exciting groups to come (UK time)

6.32pm: Viktor Hovland (Nor), Collin Morikawa (US), Shane Lowry (Ire) 
6.43pm: Chris Gotterup (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
6.54pm: Cameron Young (US), Keegan Bradley (US), Justin Thomas (US) 
7.05pm: Scottie Scheffler (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Justin Rose (Eng)

05:43pm Video

Bouncing back

Following the disappointment of the bogey on four, Rory McIlroy has made a birdie at the par-three fifth to get back to even par.

Jon Rahm comes agonisingly close to a birdie of his own but the putt does not drop so he stays at even par.

05:42pm

New man at the top

Min Woo Lee’s strong first round continues; a birdie on the par-four seventh, his fifth of the round, takes the Australian to four under and now holds the outright lead.

Meanwhile back on the fifth...

05:41pm Analysis

Disappointment for McIlroy

The long run of pars is over but not in the way The Masters champion would have wanted. That loose tee shot on the fourth proves costly as he makes a bogey to drop to one over. I suspect that McIlroy could be in trouble for his reaction on the tee box as he really slammed his club into the ground.

Just been out watching McIlroy. He is very frustrated with his driving. Of course, his driver - normally his most potent weapon - was scrappy at the Masters, to put it mildly. He was 90th out of 91 in the driving accuracy stats for the first two rounds. McIlroy got away with it at Augusta, but realises that it will be a tougher ask at a course such as Aronimink, which demands supreme control with approach shots. He has missed the last three fairways and his slice on the fourth (his 13th having started on the 10th) cost him a bogey to send him back to one-over.

05:38pm

Just one off the lead

2024 US PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele has had a bit of an topsy-turvy first round, full of birdies and bogeys. On his card there are five birdies and three bogeys but a birdie on the par-three fifth (his 14th) has taken the American to two under and just one shot off the lead. Schauffele, who is yet to win on the PGA Tour this season, did finish in a tie for ninth at The Masters.

Xander Schauffele in a decent position - Matt Slocum/AP

05:33pm Video

Great turnaround

This is a fascinating story from this opening round. South African Garrick Higgo was due to tee off at 7.18am local time (12.18pm UK time) and was on the practice putting green but was not within the area defined as the starting point at his starting time, which meant he received a two-shot penalty at the first. Had he been over five minutes late, he would have faced disqualification. However, it has been a great turnaround from Higgo since that double bogey on the first. Four birdies and just one bogey have followed, with the South African heading to the last at one under.

05:26pm

Ludvig Aberg going backwards

Just a few holes ago, the Swede was one under just after the turn. However, back-to-back bogeys at four and five have dropped him back to one over. Bryson DeChambeau’s day is still not going the way the American would have wanted, currently at four over with four holes remaining.

05:24pm Key moments

Frustration boiling over

Rory McIlroy is on a long run of pars, 10 to be exact, but is in trouble off the tee at the par-four fourth (his 12th). His drive leaks to the right and he slams the ground in frustration. In light of Sergio Garcia’s outburst during The Masters, McIlroy could be in some strife for that reaction on the tee box. It may not have been McIlroy’s best tee shot but it did not miss the fairway by too much. A little surprising to see that reaction from McIlroy, who is just three off the lead.

05:21pm

Rose showing his support for Chelsea ahead of FA Cup final

05:12pm

New co-leader

South African Aldrich Potgieter, who has finished his first round, American Bud Cauley and German Stephan Jaeger have been joined on three under by Australian Min Woo Lee, who has made a birdie at the par-three fifth (his 14th).

Tyrrell Hatton’s frustration bubbles over as his birdie putt on the third (his 12th) just misses the hole and he stays at two over. It looked like he might give his ball the finger but resists that temptation, instead shaking his fist at the ball.

05:05pm

Plenty more to come

Thanks Dan. As you said, still a lot to look forward to today. As the groups including McIlroy, DeChambeau, Koepka and Schauffele are approaching the closing stages of their opening rounds, there are still plenty of big hitters yet to get their first rounds under way.

05:02pm

Another par for McIlroy

Finding sand off the tee cost him a realistic birdie chance on the second, but he picked his approach clean off the top to find the middle of the green. Two putts followed, and he stays at level par. Alongside him, Spieth slips back to one over. Neither could match the fireworks of Rahm.

I’ll hand you over now to Kieran Crichard who will cover the later starters. These groups will be the highlight, all starting on the first:

6.21pm: Adam Scott (Aus), Corey Conners (Can), Daniel Berger (US)
6.32pm: Viktor Hovland (Nor), Collin Morikawa (US), Shane Lowry (Ire)
6.43pm: Chris Gotterup (US), Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
6.54pm: Cameron Young (US), Keegan Bradley (US), Justin Thomas (US)
7.05pm: Scottie Scheffler (US), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Justin Rose (Eng)

04:52pm

Eagle for Rahm!

The Spaniard holes out from the middle of the second fairway, one bounce and in, and just like that Rahm jumps from two over to level par.

04:46pm

Jordan Spieth on the move

The Open is back at Royal Birkdale in July, where Spieth was a winner in 2017, and he looks to have more trust in his swing after some fallow spells. A birdie on the first, his 10th, moves Spieth to two under and maybe completing the career grand slam is a possibility this week. No player has done so by winning the US PGA as the fourth leg of the quartet of majors.

Jordan Spieth’s driving has been much improved - Bill Streicher

04:33pm

The World No 1 is on the property

04:28pm

Alex Fitzpatrick’s round unravelling

The Englishman has dropped four shots over the course of the 14th, 15th, and 16th and he is now two over having been two under only an hour or so ago.

04:22pm

McIlroy turns in level par

He leaves a birdie try in the jaws on the 18th, but that is an acceptable first nine of 35. McIlroy is playing the course the “wrong” way around, and he has more scoreable front nine to come so there should be birdie chances.

04:20pm

Justin Rose wearing a Chelsea jersey

Saturday’s FA Cup final will be a 10am kick-off Eastern Time, so Rose will be hoping for a late tee time so he can watch Chelsea against Manchester City. A late Saturday tee time is always good news in tournament golf.

Justin Rose arrives wearing a Chelsea jersey - Sky Sports

04:13pm

Great shot from a US PGA debutant

04:09pm

Pars all round on the 17th

Rahm and McIlroy do well to judge the pace of their lag putts on the treacherous par three, and Spieth drains one from 15ft or so to avoid a bogey.

Birdies hard to come but for the most of field right now. Jaeger has just bogeyed the 12th, and the lead is once again three under, shared with Cauley.

04:05pm

DeChambeau reaches the turn in 39

Four over after nine holes of his championship, and the American is up against it. It has been scratchy stuff throughout from DeChambeau, he is lacking control and confidence with his irons.

03:59pm

Great shot from Ryan Fox

That is how to play these monstrous par threes  at Aronimink.

03:56pm

Another missed green for DeChambeau

Ensnared by the bunker short and right of the 18th green, and he cannot stop his splash shot within 20ft of the hole. Only and outside chance to save par, or else he will be four over at the turn.

03:50pm

Smith’s relatively great escape

Cannot begin to described how wide Cam Smith was with that drive on the 18th into the TV compound, but this picture should help. Great line on the US broadcast from commentator Sean McDonough. “It may take him a while,” he said. “We did not anticipate anybody being over at our front door.” The Australian escaped with a bogey, and then birdied the first (his 10th) to bounce back to two under.

Cam Smith near his ball after a wayward drive on the 18th - US PGA

03:43pm

Schauffele going well

03:41pm

Another bogey for DeChambeau

He had to take relief from the grandstand well right of the 17th green, and his pitch shot from the rough did not have enough on it to make the green. His next chip was well played, but that bogey means DeChambeau is three over after eight.

03:40pm

Double-bogey for Alex Fitzpatrick

All of his dropped shots today have come on Aronimink’s short holes, and after going from bunker to bunker on the 14th he tumbles back to level par.

03:34pm

A wide from DeChambeau

He fans his tee shot on the par-three 17th miles right, and his ball crashes into the gallery. There was a shout of fore from DeChambeau. That was an ugly move, he got a long way ahead of it. His iron play continues to be errant.

03:29pm

Bogey for Cam Smith

That still feels like an escape after such a wild tee shot. He reaches the turn at one under, and Rickie Fowler is on the same score after holing a birdie putt from long range on the 16th.

Back on the 16th tee, McIlroy’s drive on the par five is a hair left and it settles down in the first cut. Spieth, level par, and Rahm, one over, both find the fairway.

03:20pm

Not a good start from Hatton

Three putts from 27 feet on the 15th leads to a double bogey and the Englishman is now three over after six holes of his opening round. In the group behind, McIlroy does well to make his par after missing the fairway, judging the pace of a lag putt from the back of the green. He stays at level par.

03:18pm

Alex Fitzpatrick back to two under

His first birdie since the second comes at the 13th, and Cauley and Jaegar are the only players ahead of him on the leaderboard.

Smith’s tee shot on 18th was not out of bounds, and somehow he has managed to work a shot back into play after taking a drop from the temporary obstacles.

03:11pm

Jaeger leads on his own again

Reaches the turn in four-under 31, making a sandy birdie from the greenside bunker left at the par-five ninth.

One of the players pursuing Jaegar, Cam Smith, has hit a duck hook away left on the 18th, over a hedge and near some temporary buildings. The Australian is getting a ruling.

03:07pm

McIlroy with another missed fairway

After a solid par on the par-three 14th, McIlroy gets too much draw on his drive on the long 15th and his ball dives into the tangly rough. Work to do to save his par from there. Schauffele, ahead at the green, threatens a birdie but the par keeps him at two under.

03:04pm

Cam Smith back in form

02:52pm

Stefan Jaegar has dropped a shot

A bogey on the eighth means he shares the lead at three under with Cam Smith and Bud Cauley. But he does have a par five up next. Xander Schauffele was also on three under, but a poor tee shot on the par-three 14th costs him a shot.

02:44pm

Good up-and-down from McIlroy

Shows great touch from the left of the 13th green, nipping his chip shot off the closely mown turf. McIlroy then turns around and tells some spectators to wait until players have hit their shot before taking pictures. He stays at level par.

02:40pm

That’s got to sting

02:39pm

Another birdie for Schauffele

Serene progress for the two-time major champion, a birdie on the 13th moves him to within one of Jaegar. Back in the fairway, McIlroy tries to work a sawn-off wedge shot from left-to-right but pulls it. Misses the green from 140 yards, that’s an unforced error.

02:36pm

DeChambeau falls foul of the 11th green

I highlighted in my piece on Aronimink’s three key holes that the gradients on the 11th green are the most severe on a course that is renowned for its slopey putting surfaces. And Bryson DeChambeau’s putt from just off the back a little earlier was the perfect example of the challenge competitors might face on this par four. He was 30 feet away, barely touched it and then watched it roll 60 feet by. My view is that it is a little silly. DeChambeau two-over for his opening four holes.

Bryson DeChambeau got off to a slow start - Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

02:30pm

Just a par for McIlroy

It was an underwhelming approach after such a long drive on the par-four 12th. Up ahead at the 13th, Schauffele has set up another birdie chance and an opportunity to move to three under.

02:17pm

McIlroy back to even par

Used the slope behind the pin on the 11th and judged the spin to perfection. A touch of class from McIlroy to open his birdie account, and he has just launched a drive miles down the 12th fairway.

02:11pm

A sign of Alex Fitzpatrick’s confidence

02:07pm

Three birdies in a row for Jaeger

The German is two clear of the field at four under after six holes. Much has been said about how scoreable the front nine is at Aronimink and Jaegar is showing them how it is done.

Stephan Jaeger is off to a fast start - Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

02:03pm

Back-to-back birdies for Schauffele

The 2024 US PGA winner is off to the ideal start, and after some injury problems last year he looks ominously consistent once again.

Alongside Schauffele, Hatton’s excellent wedge game sets up a birdie to move the Englishman to one under.

Back on the tee, McIlroy has split the fairway with a cracking drive as he looks to bounce back from that bogey.

01:59pm

Bogeys all round for the big names

Bryson DeChambeau left himself in an impossible position beyond the 11th green, which is pitched heavily from back to front. Putting back down a marble staircase, there was no chance of stopping it.

Jon Rahm had a stroke of luck, able to drop in the fairway from the left semi, but pushed his approach to the 10th into a run-off area right of the green. Left a fiddly chip shot that he tried to get too cute with.

No up-and-down for McIlroy alongside Rahm, and he also starts with a bogey.

01:54pm

We have a new tournament leader

German Stephan Jaeger is three under after five holes. Just behind him are Cam Smith, Harry Hall and Michael Brennan on two under. Xander Schauffele and Alex Fitzpatrick remain one under.

01:49pm

McIlroy could barely advance his second

Sitting down in wet rough, McIlroy’s second got no more than four or five feet off the ground, and he will need to pitch and putt for a par from there. A little unlucky to find such a heavy lie, but the drive was a long way from what he was attempting.

Rory McIlroy’s second shot on the 10th - Michael Reaves/Getty Images

01:43pm

McIlroy’s opening drive hits a tree

Was looking to turn his drive from right-to-left but hit a slight double-cross, and McIlroy’s ball bounces down into the rough after hitting the branches of a tree. Not disastrous but work to do from there.

Jon Rahm peels a fade back into the middle of the fairway, but the slopes take it back towards the left edge.

Up at the green on the 10th, Schauffele makes an opening birdie and it is just a par for Hatton.

01:41pm

DeChambeau cleans up for an opening par

It was a poor wedge shot and an underhit approach putt after a mafnificent drive, but DeChambeau avoids dropping a shot on the 10th, his opening hole.

McIlroy’s tee shot up next.

01:34pm

Schauffele, Koepka and Hatton under way

Schauffele and Koepka find the fairway, with Schauffele’s high draw sending his ball a long way down there, but Hatton tweaks his tee shot into the left rough.

McIlroy, Rahm and Spieth the next group on the tee.

On the sixth, Englishman Harry Hall has just made a birdie to reach two under.

01:26pm

McIlroy will be playing alongside Rahm and Spieth

Let’s not forget that Jordan Spieth, playing today’s round with McIlroy is also chasing the illustrious grand slam of golf – the US PGA Championship is the only major he is yet to win. Maybe he will ask Rory for some advice?

01:21pm

Now he is on the 10th tee...

Superb opening drive from DeChambeau, position A on this 472-yard par four, not much more than a flick with a wedge from there.

Alongside DeChambeau is Ludvig Aberg, and his drive hugs the left side of the fairway before settling in the semi-rough.

Back at the sixth, no birdie for Fitzpatrick as the putt slides by but the par keeps him under par.

01:17pm

Bryson DeChambeau arrives

The Reebok puffer coat would not look out of place in the dugouts of the Football League in mid winter.

01:09pm

Fitzpatrick responds

He will have 11ft for birdie on the par-four sixth after another straight drive and well-judged approach. A chance to bounce back from that bogey and claim the sole lead again at this very early stage.

01:06pm

Shot of the day so far

01:06pm

Some eye-catching groups about to start from the 10th

1.07pm: Si-woo Kim (Kor), Derek Berg (US), Joe Highsmith (US)
1.18pm: Bryson DeChambeau (US), Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Rickie Fowler (US)
1.29pm: Xander Schauffele (US), Brooks Koepka (US), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
1.40pm: Rory McIlroy (NIR), Jordan Spieth (US), Jon Rahm (Spa)

01:04pm

First bogey of the day for Fitzpatrick

Pulled his tee shot on the par-three fifth into the left bunker, and an up-and-down from there was always going to be a tall order. The green on the first short hole has some serious undulations.

Fitzpatrick back to one under, and another player in red figures is 2022 Open winner Cameron Smith, who has birdied the 10th, his first.

01:02pm

Course expected to become fiery

Despite the overnight rain, it looks as if Aronimink is still playing firm. Saying that, this could be the best time to be on the course, because it will only get faster. These slopey greens are going to become more hellish as the week goes on – unless the PGA of America waters. The officials will keep a close eye as they will not want a US Open-style farce to break out in this US PGA.

12:51pm

Another par on the card for Fitzpatrick

A little-heavy handed with his downhill birdie putt from 20ft or so, but cleans up well to stay two under. The signs are very promising for Fitzpatrick from tee-to-green, barely put a foot wrong so far.

The other players under par are Potgieter, McCarthy and Hoge.

Alex Fitzpatrick’s smooth progress continues - Matt Slocum/AP

12:35pm

Well-crafted par at the third

Fitzpatrick did well to find the middle of the green from the right rough, and will be satisfied to walk off with a two-putt par that keeps him at two under. One more par four to come before the first of Aronimink’s par threes. Only two par fives on the course, the first of which comes at the ninth.

12:26pm

A feature of the US PGA...

... is the select number of club professionals who made it through qualifying to tee it up. One of them is Chris Gabriele, and some understandable nerves might be to blame for an triple-bogey seven on Aronimink’s 10th, his first hole of the day.

12:20pm

First missed fairway of the day for Fizpatrick

Drive at the par-four third pushed a touch, and it will be an unfavourable angle for his second with the pin tight to the right and perched over a greenside bunker.

12:18pm

Birdie number two for Fitzpatrick

Off to a flying start, this time it was a much better wedge shot by Fitzpatrick, dispatched to within 3ft 7in of the hole. No mistake with the putt, now two under after two.

This wedge shot set up a simple birdie chance - Jamie Squire/Getty Images

12:09pm

Another fairway found by Fitzpatrick

Well positioned on the second after another solid tee shot. Will have almost the same distance he had into the first green, should set up a chance for back-to-back birdies.

12:01pm

Opening birdie for Fitzpatrick!

It was a pretty average wedge shot to 28 feet, but his putter more than made up for it. The perfect start for Fitzpatrick the younger, red figures as he walks to the second tee, which is another shortish par four.

11:49am

Nice start from Fitzpatrick

Splits the fairway from the elevated tee, a 315-yard drive, and he will have no more than a gap wedge left for his second. A good chance to start with a birdie and pick up where he left off.

11:46am

The first group are on the first tee

Alex Fitzpatrick alongside Americans Braden Shattuck and Ben Griffin. Updates on their opening drives to follow shortly. It is a very early start for them on the outskirts of the City of Brotherly Love, 6.45am local time.

It is an overcast morning at Aronimink - Getty Images/Carl Recine

11:36am

Who is your winner?

11:20am

Some of the earliest starters at Aronimink

First tee

11.45am: Braden Shattuck (US), Alex Fitzpatrick (Eng), Ben Griffin (US)
11.56am: Francisco Bide (Arg), Harry Hall (Eng), Ryan Gerard (US)
12.07pm: Johnny Keefer (US), Rico Hoey (Phi), Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)
12.18pm: Shaun Micheel (US), Michael Brennan (US), Garrick Higgo (SA)
12.29pm: Y.E. Yang (Kor), Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Matt McCarty (US)
12.40pm: Lucas Glover (US), Tom McKibbin (NIR), Stephan Jaeger (Ger)

10th tee

11.50am: Aldrich Potgieter (SA), David Puig (Spa), Denny McCarthy (US)
12.01pm: William Mouw (US), Chris Gabriele (US), Taylor Pendrith (Can)
12.12pm: Tom Hoge (US), Bryce Fisher (US), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)
12.23pm: Keith Mitchell (US), Billy Horschel (US), Ian Holt (US)
12.34pm: Gary Woodland (US), Jason Day (Aus), Sam Burns (US)
12.45pm: Wyndham Clark (US), Cameron Smith (Aus), Brian Harman (US)

11:12am

Three holes that are key to success at Aronimink

1st (434 yards, par four)

This opener sets the tone on this Donald Ross layout as the players try to make their score on the easier front nine. A visual stunner, with the fairway going downhill from the clubhouse and then climbing up the hill toward a green that tilts back and to the left. Bunkers lie in wait seemingly everywhere.

11th (425 yards, par four)

Aronimink features heavily sloped greens and the 11th is a classic example. There are numerous bunkers on both sides of the fairways and around the putting surface. But they are not the issue. Any approach too short could roll back 50 yards down the fairway. The front pin position is the most sinister on the course.

17th (229 yards, par three)

This is the signature hole and is pleasing on the eye. The green is protected by a large pond while a smaller but malevolent bunker sits off the front right corner of the green. The bank that surrounds the green and will redirect tee-shots towards the pond. This par three will see birdies and big numbers. Beautiful and beastly.

11:05am

The heartbreak behind the Fitzpatrick brothers’ remarkable ascent

At the age of 50, Elizabeth died two months ago. Walker has been picking up the pieces of his life and in this sense, Alex’s emergence as a big-time performer capable of competing with the best, is helping to put back on track a career that has included overseeing the likes of Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Thomas Bjorn and Danny Willett.

Elizabeth’s plight forced Matt to leave behind a coaching relationship with Walker that stretched back more than a decade and a half and peaked with Matt’s major breakthrough at the 2022 US Open.

10:59am

McIlroy, Rahm and DeChambeau among early starters on classic design

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the opening round of the US PGA Championship, the second major of the season which this year is being staged at Aronimink Golf Club, Philadelphia.

The Donald Ross design is an old-school, east coast parkland layout with undulating greens, and it promises to be a test of precision with just two par fives on the 7,394-yard Par 70.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion following his victory at Quail Hollow 12 months ago. The World No 1 is rounding into form after finishing second in his last three starts, including at the Masters.

Rory McIlroy was the champion that week. Having already completed the career grand slam the prospect of winning all four majors in a calendar year is a remote but tantalising possibility.

The Northern Irishman is among the earlier starters, teeing off at 1.40pm British Summer Time on Aronimink’s 10th hole. Alongside McIlroy will be Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm, who is now available to represent Europe in the 2027 renewal after settling his fines dispute with the DP World Tour.

Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka will be in the group in front, with Bryson DeChambeau ahead of them at 1.18pm.

Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick, who won in New Orleans alongside brother Matt on the PGA Tour a fortnight ago, is in the first group out at 11.45am. Alex followed that up with an impressive showing at Doral last week, while Matt has been playing some of the best golf of his career all year.

Another Englishman to watch is Justin Rose, a winner at this venue in a regular PGA Tour event. After several strong performances in majors he is now grappling with new equipment with McLaren clubs in the bag.

Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick are among the later starters, as are Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Cameron Young, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry.

Jordan Spieth should always be on our radar at the US PGA because this tournament is his chance to win the career grand slam, but it has been a long time since he threatened to do so.

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