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Denny McCarthy Off to Strong Start at PGA Championship

Originally posted on Virginia Cavaliers on SI
By Aidan Baller | Last updated May 16, 2025 11:35 AM ET

After making the cut at the Masters last month, former UVa golfer Denny McCarthy is vying to make the cut at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina. Currently, McCarthy sits at -1 after one day, and with a current projected cut line of +1 under to get into the weekend, McCarthy is on track if he can put together a similar performance on day two.

McCarthy, who was paired alongside Akshay Bhatia and Sam Burns on day one, shot a 70. Starting on the back nine, McCarthy birdied the opening hole, allowing him to settle into a rhythm to start the day, paring the next four holes before picking up a birdie on 15. Then, disaster struck for McCarthy as he went on to bogey the next three holes, sending him to +1 on the day.

In response, the Rockville, Maryland native fired back with three birdies through the first eight holes on the front nine to bring him to -2. Then, on the ninth, his final hole of the day, McCarthy bogeyed to bring him back to -1.

Compared to his grouping, McCarthy finished first among the three, with Bhatia shooting even and Burns dropping to two over par. McCarthy’s best-ever finish at a PGA Championship was tied for 29th in 2023 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. McCarthy started his weekend with a 75 before bouncing back with a 70, 72, and 68 to close.

So far this year, McCarthy’s best finish was a top-five finish at The Genesis Invitational in February. In addition, McCarthy has played in 12 tournaments in 2025, making the cut in every single tournament, lifting him to 36th in the FedEx Cup Standings.

Similar to past years, putting continues to be McCarthy’s strength as he ranks 9th on the tour in strokes gained with his putter. The key for McCarthy to have success moving forward this weekend will be hitting fairways and staying out of the thick roughs that are present at Quail Hollow.

At Virginia, McCarthy was a three-time All-American and recorded 21 top-ten finishes. Notable performances at UVa included shooting a 63 in the opening round at the U.S. Collegiate Golf Club of Atlanta in Alpharetta, Ga, and a sixth-placed finish at NCAA championships his junior year.

McCarthy, who joined the PGA Tour in 2015, is still searching for his first career victory, with his best two finishes being playoff losses at the Memorial Tournament and Valero Texas Open, with the latter coming in 2024 to Akshay Bhatia.

Currently, Jhonattan Vegas leads the field at -7, while Max Homa has been the biggest climber on day two so far, shooting an impressive six under par. McCarthy is set to take the tee at 2:20 pm. Coverage for the PGA Championship can be found on CBS, ESPN, ESPN+, and Paramount.