Braden Shattuck initiated the 108th PGA Championship with the first shot, introducing a sense of unpredictability at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Shattuck, among the 20 club professionals in the 156-player lineup and designated for the opening shot, directed his drive towards the fence line, uncertain if it remained in play. He opted for a provisional shot, only to later discover that his original drive had landed just inside the fence.
Aronimink, which last hosted a major during the 1962 PGA Championship, underwent a restoration project nearly a decade ago that involved adding bunkers and removing trees. Recent overnight rain may have softened the course, with drier conditions and potential wind shifts expected to alter the playing dynamics.
The morning saw Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth navigating these conditions, followed by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the afternoon. The grouping of McIlroy and Spieth highlighted the pursuit of the Grand Slam, with Spieth aiming to secure the PGA Championship to join the exclusive group of players who have won all four major titles. McIlroy, on the other hand, stands as the sole contender for the calendar slam. The last player to claim the first two majors of a season was Spieth in 2015.
Shattuck, serving as the PGA director of instruction at Rolling Green, situated about 10 miles from Aronimink, faced a one-shot penalty for an unplayable lie next to the fence. After maneuvering out of the rough, he concluded with a double bogey.