Vegas Surges to Lead at PGA Championship with Late Birdie Blitz

Jhonattan Vegas surged to the solo lead at the PGA Championship with a 7-under-par 64, thanks to a late birdie blitz. Check out the leaderboard and highlights.

Jhonattan Vegas made a stunning comeback at the PGA Championship, carding a 7-under-par 64 to take the lead after the first round. The 40-year-old Venezuelan golfer birdied five of his last six holes, showcasing his exceptional skill and composure under pressure. This impressive performance left him two shots clear of Australian Cam Davis and American Ryan Gerard.

Anyone predict this?

Jhonattan Vegas is the first player from Venezuela to lead or co-lead after the first round of a major. 🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/PyLqq7ALDS

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) May 16, 2025

Vegas's remarkable finish included birdies on the 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9th holes, capping off a solid round that saw him overcome an early bogey. “Incredible, obviously,” Vegas said, reflecting on his round. “Any chance you get to shoot 64 at a major championship is always great.” He credited the drying course conditions and his late tee time for allowing him to capitalize on the favorable circumstances.

Leaderboard Standings

• Leader: Jhonattan Vegas (-7)

Second Place:

• Cam Davis (-5)
• Ryan Gerard (-5)

Fourth Place:

• Luke Donald (-4)
• Aaron Rai (-4)
• Ryan Fox (-4)
• Alex Smalley (-4)
• Stephan Jaeger (-4)

Notable Performances

• Luke Donald impressed with a bogey-free round of 67, the best start to a major since 2004.
• Rory McIlroy struggled, carding a 3-over 74, putting him 10 strokes behind the leader.
• Scottie Scheffler salvaged a 2-under 69, finishing strong despite a challenging day.

Jesús “Tiki” Vega took advantage of improving conditions at the golf major, benefiting from the course drying out as the day progressed after heavy rain earlier in the week. Vega, 40, credited his late tee time for allowing him to capitalize on better scoring conditions, saying, “I got lucky that I was able to tee off very late and the course obviously is drying very quick.” This achievement marked a milestone for Vega, making him the first Venezuelan to hold the solo or co-lead in a major.

“So I was able to take advantage a little bit of those conditions at the end of the day today. But obviously a solid round from beginning to end. Good way to start.”

The first Venezuelan to hold a lead in a major 🇻🇪

Jhonattan Vegas leads by two @PGAChampionship.
pic.twitter.com/OoKuLV7xjK

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 16, 2025

Jhonattan Vegas snatched the outright lead with an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-four eighth hole and then padded his advantage with a 26-foot birdie at the final hole. 

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy struggled in his first major since completing the career Grand Slam with a Masters win last month, which had lifted a significant burden off his shoulders. McIlroy's past success at Quail Hollow had generated high expectations for his performance this week.

Rory McIlroy struggled with his tee shots and finished with a disappointing 3-over-par 74, leaving him far off the pace. He didn't speak to the media after his round. Meanwhile, Cam Davis started strong but bogeyed his final hole, finishing with a level score that tied him with Ryan Gerard.

“I haven't been having the best results on course lately over the last few months and been working really hard to turn that around,” Davis said. Despite missing five consecutive cuts earlier this year, Davis played well enough to stay near the top of the leaderboard after the first round.

Cam Davis found encouragement in his strong start, saying, “And to see the first real sign that it's turning around happen in the first round of a major, it's very encouraging.” Davis's performance put him in good spirits despite a slight stumble on the final hole.

A group of five players, including 47-year-old Luke Donald and Ryan Fox, sat three shots behind Vegas in a share of fourth place. Notably, none of the world's top 10 golfers appeared in the top 10 of the leaderboard, a rare occurrence that has only happened once before since 1994, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Some top players had varying degrees of success in the first round. Scottie Scheffler shot a 2-under 69, while Bryson DeChambeau carded an even-par 71. Jordan Spieth struggled with a 4-over 76 as he begins his pursuit of the career Grand Slam.

Scheffler expressed frustration with the tournament organizers for not allowing preferred lies after the course was heavily affected by rain. “You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes,” Scheffler said, highlighting the challenges posed by the wet conditions.

Scottie Scheffler voiced his frustration with the rules, stating, “You spend your whole life trying to learn how to control a golf ball, and due to a rules decision all of a sudden you have absolutely no control over where that golf ball goes.” He added, “But I don't make the rules. I just have to deal with the consequences of those rules.”

Other notable players had mixed results. Xander Schauffele was one over, while Justin Thomas carded a 73. Ryan Gerard, a local favorite from Raleigh, had a strong round but bogeyed his final two holes, causing him to drop to a tie for second place. Despite a rough finish, Gerard's performance was still impressive, especially considering his connection to the area as a University of North Carolina graduate.

“You know, I feel very comfortable here. There's a lot of people here that I know and I've been fortunate enough to play this golf course a few times,” said Gerard.

“It's a fantastic place. North Carolina in general, they show out for their guys in light blue. I heard so many 'Go Heels' today and just appreciate everyone that's supporting.”