Scottie Scheffler part of seven-way lead

Scottie Scheffler opened the PGA Championship with a 3-under-par 67 on Thursday, leaving the defending champion in a seven-way tie for the lead at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. The official leaderboard on Friday showed Hideki Matsuyama, Aldrich Potgieter, Chris Gotterup, Stephan Jaeger, Min Woo Lee and Jon Rahm level with Scheffler at 3-under as the second round continued. (pgatour.com) PGA Tour coverage described the first-round board as tightly packed, with 33 players within two shots of the lead. (pgachampionship.com) Friday’s play quickly turned into a cut-line story as much as a race for the top. (pgatour.com) The PGA Tour leaderboard listed the projected cut at 4-over during the second round, while the official championship site showed players still moving around a congested board. That left little separation between the leaders and several major names trying to make the weekend. ### How crowded was the top of the leaderboard? Seven players were tied for the lead at 3-under after the opening round, according to the PGA Championship leaderboard and PGA Tour coverage. Scheffler’s 67 put him alongside Matsuyama, Potgieter, Gotterup, Jaeger, Lee and Rahm. (pgatour.com) PGA Tour staff wrote on Friday that “it’s hard to have a more bunched leaderboard” than the one produced through 18 holes. The same report said 33 players were within two shots of the lead entering the second round, underscoring how little margin separated the leaders from the chasers. (pgatour.com) ### Where did Scheffler stand as Friday unfolded? Scheffler was listed at 3-under after his first round and remained among the co-leaders early in Friday’s coverage. The PGA Tour’s tournament overview identifies him as the 2025 PGA Championship winner, making him the defending champion this week at Aronimink. (pgachampionship.com) The PGA Tour also carried Scheffler’s comments on course setup Friday, with a separate update saying he called the pin locations at Aronimink the “hardest” he has faced. That remark came as players dealt with a firmer, windier second round than the one that opened the championship. (pgatour.com) ### Which other names were in the mix? Jon Rahm was part of the seven-way tie at 3-under, giving the top of the board another major champion. Hideki Matsuyama, another major winner, was also among the leaders, while Potgieter, Gotterup, Jaeger and Lee added to a group that mixed established stars with players chasing a first major title. (pgatour.com) The official PGA Championship homepage later showed movement as Friday rounds progressed, with Potgieter briefly at 4-under and Matsuyama and Gotterup at 3-under. That reflected how volatile the standings remained before the second round was complete. ### What was happening around the cut line? (pgatour.com) The PGA Tour leaderboard showed a projected cut line of 4-over during Friday’s second round. Because the field was so compressed, that number remained subject to change as later groups finished. PGA Tour coverage also pointed to several notable names in danger as conditions stiffened. The site’s live coverage and related updates focused on the pressure facing players near the line as Aronimink “bares teeth” in the wind. (pgachampionship.com) ### What comes next at Aronimink? Round 2 was still in progress on Friday, May 15, at Aronimink Golf Club, with weekend places to be settled once the final groups completed 36 holes. (pgachampionship.com) The tournament overview lists the championship dates as May 14-17, meaning Round 3 is scheduled for Saturday before Sunday’s final round decides the Wanamaker Trophy. (pgatour.com 1) (pgatour.com 2) (pgatour.com 3)