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Rookie Cole shines as world no.1 Rahm struggles in PGA Championship
Eric Cole made an impressive start at the PGA Championship, climbing to the top of the leaderboard. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm struggled, finishing with a six-over 76.
It was a bit of a rollercoaster at the PGA Championship's first round at Oak Hill on Thursday. A relatively new entrant on the block, Eric Cole, wowed everyone by jumping to the top of the leaderboard. At the same time, world number one, Jon Rahm, had a bit of a 'mare.
Still on the hunt for his first big win, Cole showed some serious skills on the tricky East Course of Oak Hill. He aced six birdies and only stumbled on one bogey, ending the day five-under par with four holes left. Bryson DeChambeau, who already has a U.S. Open win under his belt, ended the day top of the pops with a four-under 66.
A couple of strokes behind DeChambeau are Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson, and Canadian Corey Conners. Scheffler's round of 67 shows he's still got it, even after a winning streak of 16 months that included a win at the Masters.
Rahm, on the other hand, didn't have a great day, ending with a six-over 76 that leaves him lagging 11 shots behind. The bloke couldn't seem to hit the fairway, which landed him in a load of bother.
Oak Hill certainly kept everyone on their toes. Play kicked off two hours late due to frost, and although the weather brightened up later, it got chilly again with 33 players still trying their luck on the course. Matthew Fitzpatrick and Jason Day also ended up with a 76, like Rahm, but managed to avoid a situation like Tom Kim, who ended up in a swamp looking for his ball.
Cole, from Orlando, has been turning heads in the PGA Championship. After going professional in 2013 and a solid amateur career at Nova Southeastern University, he's been showing off his chops on several mini-tours and developmental tours. Even though he hasn't bagged a PGA Tour win yet, he's proving he's got the goods to compete with the best of them. His performance at the PGA Championship suggests a big win might not be too far off.
This championship is a big deal for Cole, who's still waiting for his first professional win. Even though he's new to the PGA Tour, he's already showing he can keep up with the big names, like Rahm. His ability to do well in the first round, especially on the tough East Course of Oak Hill, shows that he's got serious skills.
