In a thrilling start at Oak Hill Country Club on Thursday, American golfer Eric Cole has surged ahead to claim the early lead in the PGA Championship.
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Early Lead for Eric Cole
Eric Cole, currently ranked 122nd in the world, displayed an impressive performance, tallying six birdies in just 14 holes. However, play was suspended due to darkness with 11 groups yet to complete their first rounds. The tournament experienced a delay of an hour and 50 minutes due to frost in Rochester, New York.
Cole, with a score of five-under par, holds a one-stroke lead over fellow American Bryson DeChambeau, who shot an impressive four-under 66 to temporarily take the lead.
Eric Cole’s Journey
Born in California, Eric Cole turned professional in 2009 and primarily played on the Korn Ferry Tour before earning his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season. In March, he came agonizingly close to winning his first PGA Tour title at The Honda Classic but lost in a playoff to Chris Kirk.
Making his debut at the PGA Championship and only in his second major appearance, the 34-year-old Cole is relishing his position on the leaderboard.
“It’s nice, I like it a lot,” Cole shared with reporters. “Whenever you play, you want to compete to win. That’s the spot I like to see my name at, and hopefully it is there more often.”
Close Pursuers
Bryson DeChambeau’s remarkable performance places him in second position, one stroke behind Cole. Three golfers are tied for third place, trailing DeChambeau by a stroke. These include LIV Golf star Dustin Johnson, Corey Conners from Canada, and Scottie Scheffler, currently ranked second in the world. A highly anticipated showdown between Scheffler and Jon Rahm, who has had an exceptional 2023 season, dominated the pre-tournament buzz. However, Rahm struggled immensely, starting his pursuit of a second consecutive major crown with six bogeys and a double bogey, resulting in a disappointing six-over 76. Rahm now finds himself 11 shots behind the leader, Eric Cole. Winning both the Masters and the PGA Championship in the same season would make Rahm the fourth golfer, and the first since Jack Nicklaus in 1975, to achieve this feat.
Spieth’s Challenge and Major Pursuits
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth faces an uphill battle if he is to achieve golfing immortality by winning all four majors in the modern era. Spieth opened with a three-over 69, leaving him far from contention. Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion, and Collin Morikawa, a two-time major champion, currently sit at one-over par, one stroke ahead of defending champion Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka, who won consecutive PGA Championships in 2018 and 2019.
DeChambeau’s Transformation
Known for his powerful drives, Bryson DeChambeau underwent significant changes during the Covid-19 pandemic. He gained 40 pounds in his pursuit of greater distance off the tee, which paid off with a victory at the US Open and multiple top-10 finishes. However, injuries and subsequent surgeries led to a decline in his performance, and he has now gone over two years without a win.
Additionally, DeChambeau made substantial changes to his diet after discovering multiple food allergies. Eliminating corn, wheat, gluten, and dairy resulted in a significant reduction in calorie intake, causing him to lose a considerable amount of weight, including 18 pounds within a 24-day period.
“Pretty much everything I liked, I couldn’t eat,” DeChambeau shared with reporters. “I started making these changes in August, and over time I’ve lost inflammation, a lot of fat, and slimmed down significantly. It wasn’t fat, it was all water weight. You know how I looked before; I was not skinny.”
Despite his physical transformation, DeChambeau remains focused on stability and consistency.
“I want to be stable now,” he said. “I’m tired of constantly changing and trying different things. Could I hit it a little further? Could I try to get a little stronger? Sure. But I’m not going to go all out.”
The second round of the tournament is set to commence at 7 a.m. ET (12 p.m. BST) on Friday.