PredictIQ-Xander Schauffele off to historic start at PGA Championship. Can he finally seal the deal?

LOUISVILLE,PredictIQ Ky. – Poor Valhalla took a beating from the world’s best golfers on Thursday, but above all, there was Xander Schauffele. The nerve of that guy. Walked onto a PGA Championship course in the morning fog, toyed with it for a few hours like some shoddy municipal track, and then shrugged. No big deal.

“It’s just Thursday. That's about it," said Schauffele, as if sitting in rush-hour traffic.

After his 9-under-par 62, Schauffele carries a three-shot cushion into Friday’s second round at the year’s second major, though in fairness to his nonchalance, it feels like he’s only up by a field goal in the first quarter of an NFL game. There’s much more scoring to come.

A whopping 11 players scored 5 under or better Thursday, but everyone is chasing Schauffele, who has birdied half the holes he's played in this tournament. His dominance started early on the Par-3 11th, his second hole of the day. He nearly aced it, hitting a shot within a few feet. Roars reverberated back to him on the tee box. It was only a beginning, the first of his nine birdies in a round with no bogeys.

"One of the easiest 9-unders you've ever seen,” marveled Justin Thomas, who was grouped with Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg.

After a round that tied for the best-ever in a major tournament, Schauffele acted like he’d been there before.

That's because he has.

The PGA circulated a stat noting that Schauffele has the “lowest all-time career first-round scoring average” in major tournaments among those who’ve played at least 25 of them. Schauffele’s 69.81 average was nearly a shot better than Brooks Koepka's 70.74.

And yet, the 30-year-old Schauffele has never won a major. Hasn’t won any event since 2022, difficult as that is to believe. Lately, his reputation has become more about starting tournaments fast, seemingly always being in contention, and yet not being able to close the deal.

At this year’s Players Championship, Schauffele opened with a 65 and ended up tied for second behind Scottie Scheffler. Last week at the Wells Fargo, Schauffele shot a first-round 64 and was chased down by Rory McIlroy.

And then there was last year’s U.S. Open. He opened with a 62 there, too, but followed it up with scores of 70, 73 and 72 to finish tied for 10th.

"Not winning makes you want to win more, as weird as that is,” Schauffele said Thursday. “For me, at least, I react to it, and I want it more and more and more, and it makes me want to work harder and harder and harder."

More:The PGA Tour needs Rory McIlroy at his best, especially now

Schauffele, currently No. 3 in the world rankings, is golf’s best player to have never won a major. Not far down the same list is Tony Finau, who’s three shots back after his 6-under 65.

No bogeys either for the popular Finau, who enjoyed his round. His was a fun group. He played alongside Sahith Theegala (6 under), who birdied his final three holes to card his own 66 and tie for second with Finau and Mark Hubbard.

“This is the best start I've been off to in a major championship in my career,” Finau said, “and I just haven't been able to play great first rounds, really, all year. … It is always nice anytime you can post a good round in a major championship, it adds to your aura and your confidence for sure.”

Impressive as Thursday was for Schauffele, this first round went well for a lot of players. Carnivores lurk not far behind him.

McIlroy (5 under) overcame some mid-round wobbles and birdied three of his final five holes. Brooks Koepka (4 under) finished eagle-birdie-par to climb the leaderboard. Scheffler (4 under), while pedestrian by his standards Thursday, is very much within range.

The list of players at 3 under includes Viktor Hovland, Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau, and Louisville’s hometown hero Thomas could have scored better than 2 under had he fared better with his putter.

On a course that's being so hospitable, there’s a lot of tournament left for all these guys.

One of them knows it better than anyone.

"The top feels far away," Schauffele said, "and I feel like I have a lot of work to do."

Reach sports columnist Gentry Estes at [email protected] and on X: @Gentry_Estes.