Inside Story

Even the world’s top golfers can’t escape Quail Hollow’s wrath. During Thursday’s opening round of the 2025 PGA Championship, the top three ranked players—Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Xander Schauffele—each carded a double bogey on the par-4 16th, turning the hole into an unlikely equalizer.

“It’s probably the first and last time I’ll keep the honor after a double,” joked Scheffler, who salvaged his round with a 2-under 69. The Texas native, coming off an eagle on the 15th, lost both strokes to a muddy ball that found water behind the green.

McIlroy endured a more dramatic unraveling—hooking his tee shot, slipping on a sidehill lie, and flubbing a recovery that led to a two-putt double. He finished at 3-over, tied for 85th, despite his storied history at the course.

Schauffele’s well-struck drive also ended in disappointment, as a second shot with no margin for error landed in the same pond. He sits at 1-over.

While Jhonattan Vegas soared to a 7-under 64 and took the early lead, the spotlight remains on the game’s elite—mud-splattered, frustrated, and surprisingly human after one chaotic hole. With unpredictable conditions ahead, the drama at Quail Hollow is just getting started.

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Photo Credit: Mikael Damkier / Shutterstock.com