Xander Schauffele issues perfect response to McIlroy misery with record-breaking USPGA round
Xander Schauffele has already put his Wells Fargo Championship woes behind him, after storming into an early lead with a record-breaking opening round at the PGA Championship.
Schauffele has set the pace so far at Valhalla Golf Club, with a major championship round for the ages. The American carded a superb nine-under-par 62 on Thursday, the lowest round in U.S. PGA history, and equalling the best 18-hole score for the four major events.
Across all four flagship tournaments, there had been three 62s prior to Schauffele's Thursday showing. The world No. 3 himself has already carded the score on the major stage, doing so at last year's U.S. Open alongside Rickie Fowler.
The record is also shared with Branden Grace who carded the same score at the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Having kicked off his week on the par-five 10th Schauffele started with a par, before going on to make five birdies in his next eight holes in calm morning conditions.
Making the turn to the front nine (his back nine), the Olympics champion's impressive run continued. Four more birdies then followed, as Schauffele put on a clinic with his irons, taking advantage of the soft Valhalla greens thanks to rainfall in the week. He did have a putt for the first 61 in major history, however saw his effort drift low of the hole.
Rating his hot start as he chases down his first ever major championship this week, Schauffele said: "It was a great start but we still have three rounds to play. We got put on the clock actually as we made the turn. I kinda got in a rhythm and had nobody ahead of us and then just got the ball rolling."
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Xander Schauffele sits at nine-under-par
The showing would have been just what the American needed, having stumbled to a frustrating second-place finish at Quail Hollow. Schauffele is a man in form at the moment, having moved to third in the world. The only blemish however has been his failure to convert, having not won on the PGA Tour in two years.
He came agonisingly close to that last Sunday after dominating throughout the week in North Carolina. Heading into last Sunday's final round, Schauffele held a one-shot lead over McIlroy but was chased down by his European rival after his level-par 71 saw him go on to lose out by five shots.
He may well have to deal with a firing McIlroy once again this week too, with the four-time major winner enjoying a strong start of his own. The 2014 champion and last man to win at Valhalla finished with a five-under 66 on Thursday morning to leave him four shots behind leader, Schuaffele.