Eric Cole plays his shot from the 15th tee during the first round of the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.
In the first round of the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, Eric Cole, an American golfer ranked 122nd in the world, took the early lead. Despite a delay due to frost, Cole managed to score six birdies in just 14 holes before play was suspended. He finished the round at five-under par, holding a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, who shot an impressive four-under 66.
Cole, who turned pro in 2009, primarily played on the Korn Ferry Tour before earning his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season. Although he narrowly missed his first PGA Tour title in a playoff earlier this year, he is now relishing his debut at the PGA Championship.
Meanwhile, Jon Rahm, the world No. 1 and April’s Masters champion, struggled in the first round, recording six bogeys and a double bogey to finish at six-over 76. Rahm is attempting to become only the fourth golfer, and the first since Jack Nicklaus in 1975, to win both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same season.
Other notable performances include Dustin Johnson, Corey Conners, and Scottie Scheffler, who are all one stroke behind DeChambeau. Jordan Spieth, aiming to win his first PGA Championship to complete a career grand slam, started with a three-over 69. Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, and Brooks Koepka are also in the mix, while DeChambeau has adopted a leaner approach after substantial weight loss and changes to his diet.
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