5 takeaways from the first round of the PGA Championship
1. Don’t fret for Jordan Spieth. He’s far from out of it at the PGA Championship. He made a comeback late in his round, making birdies on two of his last three holes to shoot 1-over 72. He’s only five shots back.
2. Despite the number of under-par scores, Quail Hollow is winning the battle against the players. Most players are having trouble negotiating the Bermuda rough and the speed of the Champion ultradwarf greens.
3. Players aren’t happy with the extremely undulating par-3 4th green, one of the new holes in the latest renovation. Peter Uihlein hit a 7-iron; it hit 2 feet left of the hole and it went over the green, leading to a bogey. “That’s a little absurd, maybe,” said Grayson Murray.
4. Former major championship winners Jason Day and Dustin Johnson are officially lurking. Each shot a 1-under 70, playing in the same group. They will be worth watching Friday.
5. PGA Championship winners Jimmy Walker, Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner will be fighting to make the cut Friday. In the same group, Walker shot 81, Mickelson posted 79 and Dufner carded 74.
This story was originally published August 10, 2017 at 8:26 PM with the headline "5 takeaways from the first round of the PGA Championship."