Rising South African star Aldrich Potgieter shared the lead after the first round of the year’s second Major, the PGA Championship, at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania following Thursday’s opening round.
The 21-year-old fired an opening round three-under-par 67 which included three birdies and three bogeys.
“I definitely left myself in really good positions on the green, made some long putts, so it was nice the putter was warm,” Potgieter told reporters afterwards.
He shared the lead with six others at three-under-par, including defending PGA champion, Scottie Scheffler.
The next-best South African, on a stacked leaderboard, was Garrick Higgo, who recovered from being penalised two shots for arriving late for his tee time to record a round of 69, one-under-par. He is tied 15th, two shots back of the leaders.
Higgo made four birdies and one bogey after his opening hole double, following the penalisation.
McIlroy struggles
SA Open champion, Casey Jarvis, was next best of the South Africans on level-par 70. He made two birdies, an eagle and four bogeys. He is tied for 34th place but only three shots back of the leaders.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout is also in range of the leaders, five shots back after opening with a 72, but he’s tied 67th.
Jayden Schaper, a two time winner on the DP World Tour recently and on debut in Major golf, shot an opening 75 to be tied 120th, but also not that far back, eight off the leaders.
Rory McIlroy had a day to forget with a four-over 74, following four straight bogeys at the end of his round, to be tied 105th, while Bryson DeChambeau fired a 76.
Better scores were recorded by Xander Schauffele (68), Shane Lowry (68), Cameron Smith (69), Brooks Koepka (69), Jordan Spieth (69), Jon Rahm (69), Hideki Matsuyama (70) and Justin Rose (70).
