The Quail Hollow course tore up much of the field in the opening round of the PGA Championship, with the strangely-banked greens causing most of the trouble. Shots that hit the greens in disadvantageous spots had a tendency to slither off into the rough, or into bunkers and scores skyrocketed to the point that the projected cut line after 18 holes was 3 over par.

    Kevin Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen did the best job of solving the tricky greens and they hold a one-stroke lead at 4-under-par 67. There is a five-way tie for third which includes Seminole Brooks Koepka, whose solid recent play gives him a huge chance to win his second major. Jon Rahm and Rickie Fowler were two strokes behind, along with Patrick Reed and Paul Casey, and Jason Day, Hideki Matsuyama and Dustin Johnson were 1 under.

    Among other notables, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth were at 1 over, Sergio Garcia at 4 over and Phil Mickelson at 9 over without making a single birdie. Seminole Daniel Berger was within the cut line at plus 2, but Gator Billy Horschel was in trouble at 5 over. 

 

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