The opening round of the 103rd PGA Championship was a tough but fair challenge, with 16 players in the field of 155 breaking par. Here’s what some players said, in assessing the course and their game, after the first round.
COREY CONNERS (67, LEADER)
“I am really pleased with the score. I definitely knew in my preparation that it was possible to have a decent round out here and shoot a 5-, 6-under par round.
“So, kind of started the day thinking, why not me. There's birdies to be had. Just play with patience. You know, take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.”
PHIL MICKELSON (70, T8)
“I've made progress. If you look at week-to-week-to-week I've been making a lot of progress, and the challenge, the guys out here are so good. They are so talented. The course setups are very penalising that you've got to be focused every shot, and if I lose my focus on any holes out of 72, the field here is going to eat me up and so that's the big challenge for me to get in contention.
“But I'm enjoying the challenge and I'm playing well enough to do it, but I just need to be present on every shot.”
PADRAIG HARRINGTON (71, T16)
“I like this golf course. Perfect conditions for me to compete in.
“I've given myself the task this year just to try and concentrate on, when it comes to me, this is kind of the last roll of the dice for these events, so I've given myself the chance to get myself mentally in place as I would have done back in my heyday and not worry so much about the physical side.”
CAMERON SMITH (72, T31)
“The last five holes I played two-over and basically didn't really miss a shot. I hit a bad drive on 18 but it didn't really feel bad. That's just the way it is around here. You just have to take advantage of those downwind holes as much as you can and really hold on and hit really good golf shots into the wind.”
CAM DAVIS (69, T2)
“Helps when you're hitting the ball in pretty good spots and not really having to stress too much. There was one hole where I was a little bit frazzled I guess, but for the most part, I was just doing my own thing … playing a golf course the way that I see fits my game and that's really all I can do and just try and chill out in between shots.”
RICKIE FOWLER (71, T16)
“I'm very happy with where we're at. Things can still get better, but we're back to playing golf and hitting shots and having fun.
“I think, with this golf course and the wind and what it kind of demands of you, one, you can't try and go out there and be perfect. You've just got to go out there and hit golf shots and kind of play with what you have that day. A lot of times you can't fight the wind out here … it's a fun challenge.”
VIKTOR HOVLAND (69, T2)
“I can't remember the last time I felt as good as I did today on the golf course. I really felt comfortable off the tee, and I hit a bunch of fairways, and I was able to hit a bunch of greens as well.”
XANDER SCHAUFFELE (73, T41)
“I wasn't hitting it all that great, so one-over isn't the worst score. I didn't shoot myself out of it, which is a good thing.
“I think I missed one putt that I probably should have made, and after that it was kind of boring. I wasn't really the guy to make a lot of birdies today. I played with Viktor Hovland … he played really solid golf. It was really impressive to watch, and just trying to chase after him.”
BROOKS KOEPKA (69, T2)
“I love it when it's difficult. I think that's why I do so well in the majors. I just know mentally I can grind it out. Like when it's windy like this, it's not so much putting, it's more about ball striking, and I felt like I struck it really well today. I feel like that's why I've done really well.
“You've got to understand that sometimes par is a good score. You've got to understand that 30, 35 feet is a great shot sometimes, and you've just got to accept it and move on.”
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU (72, T31)
Mentally, you have to show a lot of resolve out there. Mental fortitude to just push on when things aren't going well. Luck isn't going your way, and you aren't getting the best breaks.
“Hitting a lot of great shots, and things just aren't going your way. You have to be able to step up and say, you know what, it doesn't matter. I'm just going to execute the best shot I could right here.
“That's what I was able to do on the back nine. I got a couple of bad breaks. A couple putts that didn't go in that should have gone in. I went four-over, and I could have been four-under today.”
COLLIN MORIKAWA (70, T8)
“…normally major championships, if the rough is really long, you have to hit it straight. Out here, when the wind is up like this, and it's going to hopefully be up like that the rest of the week, you have to just hit good drives.
“A miss is going to be that exaggerated, so normally you miss it right side of the fairway, it might be right rough, and that's just going to add on and add on and make the round tougher. So, when you're in the fairway and you have a good shot, you have to take advantage of it.”
SONNY SKINNER (85, T152)
“Obviously I didn't play my best. What I experienced out there today, it's a big boys' golf course. It's a big boys' situation with the wind and the climate and everything.
“I gave every shot my best. 85 was the best I could do. I tried on every one of them. I did not get here until yesterday. I knew what I was up against before I came. I didn't feel the need to overwork and over-push, just show up and hope lightning might strike, but it did not.”
ROBERT MACINTYRE (75, T77)
Journalist: “You only missed two fairways today. What will you work on this afternoon do you think?’
MacIntrye: “Sleeping. There's nothing getting work done this afternoon. It's blowing over 20 miles an hour. Best place for me is in the apartment.”
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