Luke Donald Surprises at PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On the opening day of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, some unexpected names crowded the leaderboard, but none were as surprising as Luke Donald.

At 47, Donald, the European Ryder Cup captain, has shifted to a part-time playing schedule recently, concentrating on preparing for Beth Page Black—hoping to guide Europe to another Ryder Cup win.

He started the tournament early alongside Padraig Harrington and Martin Kaymer, making the first tee shot and finishing with an impressive 4-under 67.

Coming into the week, he was on a rough streak, having missed the cut in his last five events.

“I’ve clearly been trending the wrong way lately with those missed cuts,” Donald joked afterwards. “Golf’s a funny game.”

I wasn’t sure how his game would match up with Quail Hollow, especially given the course conditions.

“That was a nice surprise,” he remarked. “I got off to a steady start, found a lot of fairways on the front nine. I didn’t hit too many greens, but my putting was on point.”

“I’m really happy with the score. No bogeys in a major! Someone mentioned it’s the lowest first round in a major since 2004.”

This marked his first bogey-free round in a major since 2015, matching his best first-round score from the 2004 PGA Championship.

Donald noted he woke up at 4:40 a.m. on Thursday and exclaimed, “It’s an honor to hit my first tee shot and kick off the tournament.”

He reflected on the unique position of being a player and a captain. “It’s a bit of an odd situation, being the captain of the European Ryder Cup team,” he said. “If I weren’t in this role, I wouldn’t be in this field.”

While acknowledging that his game has evolved, he stated, “It doesn’t bother me at all. My focus remains on competing despite my responsibilities.”

Having captained the Europeans to victory in Rome in 2023, Donald mentioned that he loves competing, but he also prioritizes preparation for New York.

He even lightheartedly noted U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley sitting at 3-under at the end of the round.

As the defending champions, Europe will retain the Ryder Cup if the competition ends in a tie.

Bradley, ranked 19th globally, envisions himself as a contender for points as part of the Captain’s Ryder Cup team.

“Kegan’s in the top 20. He could have a great week. He’s still one of the best players out there,” Donald added.