Xander Schauffele Makes History with Record 62 at PGA Championship

Xander Schauffele has etched his name into the annals of golf history with a sensational opening round at the PGA Championship, seizing the early lead and setting a new benchmark in major golf.

Schauffele’s performance at Valhalla Golf Club was nothing short of spectacular. He fired nine birdies in a flawless, bogey-free round to post a historic 62, becoming the first player in PGA Championship history to do so and only the fourth in men’s major history. The record, first set by Branden Grace at the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, was matched by Schauffele and Rickie Fowler during last year’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club. With this round, Schauffele has also become the first golfer to card multiple rounds of 62 in major competition, and his nine-under-par score equals the lowest relative-to-par round in men’s major history.

Starting on the back nine with two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and Ryder Cup star Ludvig Åberg, Schauffele initially missed an opportunity at the par-five 10th but quickly rebounded with a close-range birdie at the par-three 11th. His putting was sharp, saving par from 15 feet at the 12th and sinking another 15-footer for birdie at the par-four 13th. After scrambling for par at the 14th, Schauffele found his rhythm, birdieing the next two holes and adding another at the par-five 18th to complete his first nine holes in 31 strokes.

Continuing his momentum, Schauffele made a crucial sand save at the first hole, then fired an approach to within five feet at the second for his sixth birdie. A chip to tap-in range at the fourth and a 10-foot putt at the fifth took him to eight under, putting multiple major records in jeopardy. He then made a two-putt birdie at the par-five seventh to surge ahead.

Schauffele’s brilliant up-and-down from behind the eighth green kept his round bogey-free, leaving him needing a birdie at the par-four ninth to achieve the first 61 in men’s major history. However, his approach settled 30 feet from the hole, and he two-putted for par, capping off a record-breaking day.

This extraordinary start follows Schauffele’s recent runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at the Wells Fargo Championship. Despite his historic performance, Schauffele remains focused, keeping thoughts of a potential maiden Major and his first worldwide win since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open. 

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