The opening round of the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club delivered everything a major championship promises drama, frustration, unexpected contenders and a leaderboard jammed tighter than anyone could have imagined.
After 64 years away from major championship golf’s biggest stage, Aronimink returned with a vengeance Thursday, producing a brutal but captivating test that left seven players tied atop the leaderboard at 3-under-par 67.
Leading the way was world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who managed to laugh off a rare miss from four feet while grinding through one of the toughest opening rounds seen at the PGA Championship in years.
Joining Scheffler atop the leaderboard were Martin Kaymer, Aldrich Potgieter, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee, Ryo Hisatsune and Alex Smalley in the largest first-round tie for the lead at a major since nine players shared the top spot at the 1969 PGA Championship.
The crowded leaderboard reflected just how demanding Aronimink played. Only 48 players finished within three shots of the lead, while the gap between the lead and the projected cut line was merely six shots.
Even Scheffler admitted afterward that his opening 67 felt different than many of his recent starts. The two-time major champion had struggled in first rounds throughout much of 2026, but Thursday was a display of patience and precision. He hit all but one fairway and capitalized on a pair of lengthy birdie putts, draining one from nearly 40 feet at the seventh and another from close to 30 feet at the 10th.
Scheffler also caught a crucial break at the par-3 17th. After missing right into thick rough, his ball came to rest near a sprinkler head, allowing him free relief. He dropped onto the fringe and calmly putted to tap-in range to escape with par.
Yet even the steadiest player in the world showed his human side. After missing a short four-foot putt earlier in the round, Scheffler could only laugh at himself as Aronimink’s slick greens punished nearly everyone in the field.
One of the biggest surprises belonged to Kaymer, the 2010 PGA champion whose career has largely faded from the spotlight since joining LIV Golf in 2022. Ranked No. 1,160 in the world entering the week, the German turned back the clock with a flawless 67 that suddenly placed him back in contention at a major championship for the first time in years.
Kaymer revealed earlier in the week that during the champions dinner, a PGA of America official even asked if he planned on playing this year — making his first-round performance even more stunning.
The day was filled with bizarre moments across the sprawling Philadelphia-area course.
Jon Rahm delivered one of the most memorable scenes when he angrily slammed his club after an errant shot, sending a divot flying into the face of a volunteer. Rahm, however, recovered brilliantly from another shaky major start. He holed out for eagle from the 11th fairway and chipped in for birdie at the difficult par-3 eighth during a resilient round of 69.
Garrick Higgo endured perhaps the strangest start of all. Higgo arrived 10 seconds late to his tee time and was assessed a two-stroke penalty before hitting a single shot. Despite the setback, he battled to an impressive 69 that otherwise would have put him among the leaders.
Defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy experienced a frustrating collapse late in the day. McIlroy bogeyed his final four holes while struggling from Aronimink’s thick rough and lightning-fast greens. His 74 sent him directly to the practice area afterward as he searched for answers before Friday’s second round.
Meanwhile, Patrick Reed quietly produced one of the steadiest rounds of the day. Reed was the only player to complete Aronimink without a bogey, carding a 68 to sit one shot back alongside Xander Schauffele and Shane Lowry.
Jordan Spieth, still chasing the career Grand Slam, briefly looked poised to make a serious move before bogeying two of his final three holes. Spieth settled for a 69 alongside Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas.
No player struggled more than Bryson DeChambeau. The reigning U.S. Open champion failed to make a birdie until the par-5 ninth hole his final hole of the day and limped home with a 76, leaving him in danger of missing the cut in a second consecutive major.
With severely sloped greens, firm fairways and punishing rough, Aronimink immediately established itself as a worthy major championship venue. Not since Oakland Hills in 2008 had the PGA Championship seen such a difficult scoring environment, with 3-under par standing as the best score after the opening round.
And with seven players tied for the lead and dozens more lurking within striking distance, the 2026 PGA Championship is only beginning to heat up.
