Xander Schauffele Equals Major Record at PGA Championship; Scottie Scheffler Aces First Hole as New Father
For the second time within the past year, an American player scored the lowest round in a major golf tournament's history. Xander Schauffele shot a bogey-free nine-under 62 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, taking the lead by three strokes at the PGA Championship. This impressive performance broke the course record and even exceeded the previous 63s after 18 rounds from other major events.
Schauffele had just matched this record during the 126th US Open last June, shortly after Rickie Fowler had also made history. Speaking about his achievement, he expressed:
Branden Grace is the only other player who has shot a score as low in a major tournament, but none of these remarkable achievements resulted in a major championship. Schauffele, a seven-time PGA Tour winner and perpetual contender in major events (with 12 top-10 finishes), doesn't want to be part of the group of hugely talented players who've never won a major. He's aiming to break this trend – he's come close before, finishing second at the 2018 Open Championship and the 2019 Masters.
This season, Schauffele's playing some of the best golf of his career, and he's eager to translate this form into his first major win. Emphasizing his motivation, he said:
Hosting a fantastic start at the tournament was Scottie Scheffler, who achieved an eagle on his very first hole since becoming a father. Enjoying an unmatched season, the world No.1 is going for his fifth win in six starts and second consecutive major victory after winning The Masters last month.
Despite Tiger Woods' attempt to stay competitive, three late sloppy three putts led him to a one-over 72. The four-time champion has a challenging task if he wants to repeat his 24th consecutive Masters cut result with another major weekend.
With 66 strokes, Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala topped the chasers, closely trailed by Rory McIlory and Robert MacIntyre, both scoring 67. Defending champion Brooks Koepka was among those with the 67 strokes – he hopes to win his fourth PGA Championship. Two strokes beneath him is Jordan Spieth, still aspiring to achieve the grand slam.
The second round gets underway at 7:15 a.m. ET (12:15 p.m. BST), with leader Schauffele's tee-off scheduled at 1:18 p.m. ET (6:15 p.m. BST). If you want to read the original version of this text, you can find it here:
Fun Fact: Xander Schauffele is of German descent, and his surname translates to "Schaffele" in German, meaning "small workers."
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In the world of professional golf, Scottie Scheffler, the world No.1, showcased his skills on the green by acing the first hole after becoming a father. Despite his impressive form, with five wins in six starts and a recent major title at The Masters, Schauffele remains focused on his own major championship ambitions, aiming to break the trend of talented golfers without major victories. [Golf] [Achievement] [Major championship] [Scotty Scheffler] [Xander Schauffele]
Source: edition.cnn.com
