PGA Championship Shock: Jhonattan Vegas Leads at 64 as Top Golfers Struggle
Jhonattan Vegas Rockets to the Top as PGA Championship Stuns the Favorites
What happens when the biggest names in golf can't find their groove, but an underdog goes on the run of his life? The answer showed itself at Quail Hollow, as PGA Championship viewers watched Jhonattan Vegas, a 39-year-old Venezuelan, steal the headlines with an electrifying 7-under 64 in the first round. By day's end, he had set not just a career-best in majors, but also turned himself into a national sports story back home—thanks to a closing stretch no one saw coming.
For the past three years, Vegas wasn't even part of the field at this storied event. He's made a living on tour but never truly threatened at a major, with his best finish a T22 back in 2016. That all changed Thursday, as Vegas carded five birdies in his final six holes, including an 18-footer on No. 8 and a sprawling, gutsy 25-footer to cap his day on No. 9. You could feel the crowd shifting, waiting for the top-ranked contenders to charge. They never did.
Meanwhile, the favorites floundered. Rory McIlroy, who loves this layout in Charlotte and carries four majors already, shredded any hope for a fast start. He failed to register a single birdie over the last dozen holes on his way to a frustrating 3-over 74. It wasn't a day for redemption, with approach shots falling flat and his putter ice-cold.
Elsewhere, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele ran into serious trouble at the 16th, both getting bit by 'mud balls'—a hazard unique to soggy turf. Scheffler's round was nearly derailed by a double bogey there, but he bounced back thanks to a pair of remarkable hole-outs, including a 215-yard 6-iron to just three feet on No. 9. Still, neither he nor Schauffele could mount a charge, finishing well adrift of the lead after day one.
Rookies, Rain, and a Venezuelan Surprise
Not every player wilted in the pressure. Ryan Gerard, a PGA rookie still getting used to the big lights, quietly turned in a superb 7-under round, nipping at Vegas' heels. The leaderboard was thick with surprises, as the stormy Carolina weather and unpredictable course conditions made it tough for even veterans to settle in.
As for Vegas, his lead didn't just evaporate with round two. Despite a misstep on the finishing hole—a late double bogey that would have sunk many players—he held on to maintain his clubhouse edge. He hasn't cracked the top 20 in a major before, but this week he's rewriting his legacy with every putt. Suddenly, the man from Maturín is the story of the tournament, inspiring fans both at Quail Hollow and all over Venezuela, where golf headlines don't often make front pages.
Heading into the weekend, nobody saw this leaderboard coming. For the stars, the pressure is ramped up; for Vegas, it's a chance at history and the real possibility of adding his name to a list of champions that once looked untouchable.