The opening shot of the 108th PGA Championship did not exactly inspire confidence.
Braden Shattuck, one of 20 club professionals in the field, stepped to the first tee Thursday morning at Aronimink Golf Club and immediately introduced the uncertainty that hovered over the year’s second major. Given the ceremonial honor of hitting the tournament’s first shot, Shattuck yanked his drive toward the fence line and had no idea whether the ball stayed in play.
That uncertainty forced him to hit a provisional. Only later did he discover the original drive barely stayed in bounds, tucked just inside the fence. The break did not save the hole. Shattuck took an unplayable lie penalty, hacked out from thick rough, and opened his PGA Championship with a double bogey.
Not exactly the dream start for the PGA director of instruction at nearby Rolling Green Golf Club, located roughly 10 miles from Aronimink. But the moment captured the mood surrounding a course many players are still trying to figure out.
Aronimink Returns to the PGA Stage
Aronimink has not hosted a major championship since the 1962 PGA Championship. A major restoration nearly a decade ago reshaped much of the layout, adding bunkers and removing trees to expose the course more directly to changing weather conditions. Overnight rain softened parts of the course before Thursday’s opening round, though forecasts pointed toward drier conditions and the possibility of wind later in the day that could dramatically alter scoring.
Players spent practice rounds trying to determine how aggressively they can afford to be off the tee and around greens reshaped during the renovation work. The softened fairways may provide temporary relief early in the tournament, but many expect the course to become significantly more difficult once conditions firm up.
Shattuck’s rough opening hole offered an immediate preview of what Aronimink can do to even slight mistakes.
Grand Slam Pressure Follows McIlroy and Spieth
Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth headlined one of the featured morning groups, instantly bringing the Grand Slam conversation into focus. Spieth entered the week needing only the PGA Championship to become the seventh player in golf history to complete the career Grand Slam.
McIlroy arrived carrying an even larger storyline. After winning the Masters earlier this year, he became the only player in the field with a chance to complete the calendar-year Grand Slam. Golf has not seen anyone win the first two majors of the season since Spieth nearly accomplished the feat in 2015.
Every round McIlroy plays this week will now be viewed through that lens.
Scheffler Awaits Changing Conditions
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler prepared for the afternoon wave, where changing wind conditions threatened to create a completely different test from the softer morning setup.
That possibility has players and caddies paying close attention to timing, weather patterns, and course firmness. Aronimink’s redesigned layout leaves little protection from shifting winds, especially on exposed approach shots and elevated greens.
Tournament officials may have received some help from overnight rain early in the week, but if forecasts hold, the course could harden quickly over the next several rounds.
By the end of Thursday morning, one thing already looked clear: Aronimink is capable of turning small errors into major problems in a hurry.
