🏌🏻Detained Scheffler Just Released

Good morning. Round 2 of the PGA Championship faced a considerable delay due to an accident near the Valhalla Golf Course.

Scottie Scheffler was detained by police in handcuffs after a misunderstanding with traffic flow led to his attempt to drive past a police officer into Valhalla Golf Club.

He has now been released and should reach Valhalla in the next 15 minutes.

Fun Fact: A 3-shot lead for Xander Schauffele ties the largest margin after the opening round in PGA Championship history.

⛳ This day in history: On this date in 1951, it’s traditionally noted that the US Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews concurred on abolishing the stymie from the game, which took place when one golfer’s ball blocked the path of another player’s ball on the putting green, forcing the golfer furthest away to play around the ball closest to the hole.

ALBATROSS
Schauffele Shoots Lowest Ever PGA Championship Round

The opening round of the 2024 PGA Championship featured a broken course record, ideal weather conditions (for now), a few struggling major winners and 64 players under par.

🚨 History Alert: Xander Schauffele opened with 9-under 62 at Valhalla Golf Club, setting a new PGA C'ship record for the lowest score in a round.

The only player to shoot 64 or better during a PGA Championship round at Valhalla GC before this was Jose Maria Olazabal, who carded a 63 in 2000.

🚀 Hovland Is Back: Viktor Hovland reunited with former swing Joe Mayo heading into this week's event and a few sessions with him is already producing results.

Hovland has had a pretty poor 2024 so far but did well in Round 1 at Valhalla, shooting a 3-under 68 to sit T-18.

🚩 Stars Sweating Cut: There are some big names who have work to do Friday to make it to the weekend, including Ludvig Åberg (+1), Tiger Woods (+1), Joaquín Niemann (+2) and Phil Mickelson (+3).

The top 70 scores and ties will make the 36-hole cut.

🌦️ Weather Watch: Rain didn't play spoilsport on Thursday but that could change today.

Forecasts call for a 60% chance of rain Friday with the possibility of thunderstorms. There's a 46% chance of rain Saturday, followed by mostly sunny conditions on Sunday.

Watch Round 1 Highlights 

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
Rory's Revamped Wedge Game On Show @ Valhalla

Rory McIlroy came into this PGA Championship ranked 95th in approaches from 50-125 yards, but it's been trending up in recent weeks. And during his opening round, five-under 66 on Thursday at Valhalla, on a day when he lost more than 1.2 strokes to the field with his driving, it was the undisputed strength of his game.

⛳️ Rory's Plan: Rory's wedge game was an area he and Butch Harmon addressed when McIlroy paid him a visit earlier this year. Butch's diagnosis was that Rory was hitting the ball too high with his wedges.

On Thursday, McIlroy was counteracting this by trying to feel like the clubface stays more closed, and pointing at the ball on the backswing. That keeps the ball flight lower and more penetrating and the plan seems to be working.

⛳️ Xander's Plan: Rory McIlroy isn't the only player in the field who's getting results while trying something new. Solo leader Xander Schauffele has a plan of his own.

During Round 1, every time Schauffele set up to the ball, he shuffled around, then dropped his right hand off the club, and lifted the club into the air with his left arm. He shuffled around once more, then returned his right hand to the club, and got ready to go.

In making this move, Schauffele also pushes his left shoulder out, and his right shoulder back, which ensures proper alignment. The primary focus is getting the club less laid-off.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

OWGR: The Official World Golf Ranking grants world ranking points access to the 54-hole Tartan Pro Tour. It is a Scottish-based development tour for male and female golfers that was first created in 2020.

Local Rule: The PGA Championship is the only men's Major that allows players to use rangefinders in tournament play - here's why.

LIV Golf: Brooks Koepka isn't displaying LIV Golf logos at the PGA Championship - he's exclusively signed with Nike for apparel and Srixon in terms of his Tour bag.

Zoysia Grass: If you listened closely to the 2024 PGA Championship broadcast, you may have heard them talk about Zoysia grass, but why? Click here to find out.

BIRDIE
Second Alternate Leads LPGA Americas Open

A pair of alternates got a last-minute entry into the LPGA's Mizuho Americas Open tournament and interestingly, they occupy the top two spots after Round 1.

The first-alternate in the field, Japan’s Saigo shot a 4-under 68 during the first round and sits T-2, while second-alternate Lee holds the solo lead after a 6-under 66.

The duo replaced Germany's Caroline Masson and Maja Stark - both withdrawals came just about an hour before the day's play got underway. Three other players sit in a tie for second besides Saigo - Bianca Pagdanganan, Gabriela Ruffels and Andrea Lee.

📌 Zhang Withdraws: An illness forced defending champion Rose Zhang to withdraw from the Mizuho Americas Open on Thursday after just three holes.

Zhang was notably in great form and collected her first LPGA Tour title at this tournament last June and earned her second victory last weekend at the Cognizant Founders Cup.

📌 Korda Falls Back: Nelly Korda had a disappointing day by her standards and sits T-17 after Round 1. The World No 1 is just four shots behind the leader though and a signature late surge could very well see her win yet another trophy this season.

DRIVING RANGE
Shoulder Mobility Drills To Improve Swing Path

In today's video, we share a variety of drills designed to enhance shoulder mobility, ensuring better performance and consistency in your game.

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