PGA Championship Morning Wave Shows Global Golf’s Reach

This was not a simple bomber’s start. It was not a putting contest. It was not a major venue softened into a weekly tour stop. It was four players from four corners of the golf world finding different ways to solve the same problem.

Potgieter made six birdies and was the first player to post 67 after starting in the opening group off No. 10. Hisatsune made seven birdies, including four immediately after bogeys, which speaks to the kind of short memory required in major-championship golf. Jaeger built his round with a three-birdie run on his front nine. Lee added his own presence to a board that, for at least a few hours, felt less like a roll call of superstars and more like a reminder of how deep golf has become.

There is something healthy about that.

Major championships still need their stars. They need Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau somewhere in the conversation. Those names create gravity.

But Thursday morning at Aronimink showed that major championships no longer wait for the obvious names to take control.

The first statement came from South Africa, Germany, Australia and Japan. It came from power, patience, bounce-back birdies and shotmaking. It came from players who may not all have entered the week as headline attractions but left the morning wave as part of the tournament’s first real story.

No Wanamaker Trophy is won before lunch on Thursday.

But sometimes a major championship uses its first morning to tell you where the game is going.

At Aronimink, that direction looked unmistakably global.

Key Takeaways

• The PGA Championship’s morning wave had a distinctly global feel at Aronimink.
• Potgieter’s power stood out, but the course demanded far more than length.
• Jaeger, Lee and Hisatsune showed how many different styles can travel in major championship golf.
• The early leaderboard was a reminder that the modern game’s depth stretches well beyond the biggest names.

PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on R.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.