LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Xander Schauffle traced his own name in the record books with a 9-under-par 62 in the first round of the PGA Championship, good for the course record Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club and the clubhouse lead in the second major of the season.

Schauffele now has two of the four rounds of 62 in major championship history. Schauffele posted a 62 in the first round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. Rickie Fowler also carded a round of 62 at the 2023 U.S. Open, and Branden Grace of South Africa hit the mark in the third round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

After his opening-round 62 at the U.S. Open last summer, Schauffele posted three rounds in the 70s and finished in a four-way tie for 10th.

Schauffele, who has never won a major, fired a bogey-free opening round Thursday with nine birdies. After starting his round on the back nine and collecting five birdies, with four more on his back nine, he arrived to his final hole looking for the field’s sixth birdie of the day at No. 9.

A 33-foot putt that would have given Schauffele a 61 was right of the cup, and he made a 3-footer to end his round.

The course record at Valhalla belonged to Jose Maria Olazabal with a 63 in the 2000 PGA Championship. Club professional Michael Block also shot 63 at Valhalla in August 2023 in a non-tournament setting.

Schauffele hit the clubhouse on Thursday afternoon just after 1 p.m. local time with a three-shot lead over Tony Finau, who was still on the course. Among players to complete the first round, Rory McIlroy was four shots back (66) and Ben Kohles (67) was five back.

Schauffele said he could be playing the best golf of his career right now.

“Probably, yeah,” he said. “I feel there’s spurts, moments in time where you feel like you can control the ball really well; you’re seeing the greens really well; you’re chipping really well. But over a prolonged period, it’s tough to upkeep high performance.

“Yeah, I’d say it’s very close to it if not it.”

–Field Level Media