Round 1 of the 108th PGA Championship is rolling at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, and the day has already delivered massive drama. The morning wave is complete, Scottie Scheffler and the afternoon heavyweights are now on the course, and Rory McIlroy has already called his own round "shit" in a post-round press conference.
PGA Championship Leaderboard Today — Round 1 Live Update
Here is the latest PGA leaderboard as of Thursday afternoon ET, with the afternoon wave still in progress:
| Pos. | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| T1 | Min Woo Lee | -4 |
| T1 | Aldrich Potgieter | -3 (F) |
| T1 | Stephan Jaeger | -3 (F) |
| T1 | Ryo Hisatsune | -3 (F) |
| T1 | Jordan Spieth | -3 (in progress) |
| T5 | Xander Schauffele | -2 (in progress) |
| T5 | Max Greyserman | -2 (F) |
| T5 | Daniel Brown | -2 (F) |
| T5 | Sahith Theegala | -2 (F) |
| T5 | Nicolai Højgaard | -2 (in progress) |
| T10 | Jon Rahm | -1 (F) |
| T10 | Jordan Spieth | -1 (F) |
| T10 | Brooks Koepka | -1 (F) |
| T10 | Garrick Higgo | -1 (F)* |
| -- | Scottie Scheffler | +1 (in progress) |
| -- | Rory McIlroy | +4 (F) |
| -- | Bryson DeChambeau | +6 (F) |
*Higgo received a 2-stroke penalty for arriving late to his tee time
Jordan Spieth Grand Slam Bid: The Day's Biggest Story
Jordan Spieth tied the lead at 3-under through 15 holes of his opening round, and the implications are enormous. Spieth has recently elevated his game off the tee and has been using that to his advantage throughout Round 1 at Aronimink.
Spieth ultimately finished with a 1-under 69 after bogeying two of his last three holes, dropping back from a share of the lead. Still, it places him squarely in contention at a major he has never won — and the only major standing between him and the career Grand Slam.
It has been more than nine years since Spieth's last major victory and more than three years since a top-10 at a major. Spieth sizzled with his irons Thursday, knocking three consecutive approaches to 10 feet, 11 feet, and 3 feet in a stretch that briefly had him tied for the lead.
Scottie Scheffler vs Jordan Spieth — Afternoon Wave Watch
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the defending PGA champion, teed off in the afternoon alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose. Scheffler picked up back-to-back birdies at holes 6 and 7 to reach 1-under before dropping a bogey at the 4th, putting him at +1 on his round with play ongoing.
The afternoon wave is stacked. Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Gotterup, and Robert MacIntyre are all on the course as Aronimink's afternoon conditions test the game's elite.
Rory McIlroy Round 1 Collapse: 4-Over 74
Rory McIlroy described his opening round with brutal honesty, telling reporters in one word it was simply "shit." McIlroy bogied his final four holes at Aronimink to card a 4-over 74 — a devastating start for the back-to-back Masters champion and pre-tournament co-favorite.
McIlroy came in carrying a toe injury that forced him to cut short a practice round earlier in the week. His collapse down the stretch — five bogeys in his final six holes — leaves him needing a monumental turnaround to make the weekend cut, let alone challenge for the Wanamaker Trophy.
Aldrich Potgieter and the International Surge
Four international players are tied for the early clubhouse lead at 3-under following the morning wave: Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa, Stephan Jaeger of Germany, Min Woo Lee of Australia, and Ryo Hisatsune of Japan. Potgieter, the No. 1 driver on the PGA Tour averaging 326.9 yards, also set a career low at a major with his opening 67 — and became the second-youngest player to open the PGA Championship at 67 or better.
Potgieter's low number is a potential signal to those arguing Aronimink rewards brute force off the tee — a debate that will intensify if the big hitters continue to populate the top of the PGA leaderboard through the weekend.
Bryson DeChambeau: 6-Over 76 Disaster
Bryson DeChambeau posted a 6-over 76 in Round 1, finishing T120 and ahead of just eight players in the field. DeChambeau had no issues off the tee but struggled with distance control in windy conditions, lost more than 3.6 strokes to the field around the greens, and did not make a single birdie until the 18th hole — his last of the day.
How to Watch PGA Championship 2026 — TV Schedule and Streaming
The complete PGA Championship 2026 TV schedule is as follows — Thursday and Friday: 12–8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Saturday: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET on ESPN, then 1–7 p.m. ET on CBS. Sunday: 10 a.m.–1 p.m. ET on ESPN, then 1–7 p.m. ET on CBS for the final round.
Live streaming is available all four days on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET, with featured group coverage from 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m. and featured holes at 15, 16, and 17 streaming throughout. Paramount+ carries the Saturday and Sunday CBS broadcasts live for cord-cutters. Fubo also carries ESPN with a free trial available for new subscribers.
The 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania runs through Sunday, May 17. Tee times for Round 2 will be set based on Thursday's completed scores.
