We learned early in the week that Charlotte can take on a lot of mid-May water. We also learned that Quail Hollow doesn’t cater to a specific type of golfer, especially when it is set up for a major championship. Whether the course is as soulless as some have suggested or whether it is a many-faced course, as Arya Stark might designate, is open for endless, inexhaustible debate. We do know that there are, and should be, many different types of major championship tests. Links conditions need not be transported to every venue that features a Grand Slam event.

The first thing that we learned on Thursday: Charlotte is an international city

Take a gander at the leaders board and you’ll see flags from the host country, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, England, Sweden, Japan, Colombia, Scotland, Denmark, Venezuela, Norway, and Puerto Rico (we know, she’s a commonwealth) among the top ten in the standings. That’s a stunning amalgamation of talent in the most American of major events.

While the previously-unknown Ryan Gerard (UNC, 25 years old, wins on KFT and PGAT-Americas) is tied for second, and three countrymen join him in the first decade, Cam Smith (that tall Aussie) and also sits just beneath the peak of the assemblage at minus 5, and a host of other, international players, sits one shot back at 4 deep. Both Gerard (bogey-bogey) and Davis (par-bogey) closed on uneven footing, so don’t expect them to run away with this thing.

The second thing that we learned on Thursday: Oh Captain, My Captain!

In case you question the qualifications of Captain America and Capitan Europa, to make selections for their respective Ryder Cup sides, do not do so. Luke Donald sits tied for third at 4 under par. His colonial counterpart, Keegan Bradley, is one shot back at minus 3. Donald’s scorecard was a thing of mathematical beauty. Birdies at four, eight, 10, and 14, surrounded by 14 scores of par, brought him onto the day-one podium. As for Keegan the Brave, he toured the 7,600 yards of Quail Hollow with but one bogey. It came at the ninth, courtesy of a wayward drive to the right, that necessitated a pitch-out to the fairway. His birdies came at seven, 10, 12, and 13. It’s a safe play that this evening, in two mirrors, two captains will interview themselves about serving as a playing captain at Bethpage in September.

College teammates ?? PGA Championship competitors. Luke Donald and Tom Johnson, PGA, go way back when it comes to golf! pic.twitter.com/oi2t5CjoYQ

— PGA of America (@PGA) May 15, 2025

The third thing that we learned on Thursday: Shockers always happen, but…

It’s not a surprise that seven of the bottom ladder rungs are occupied by the PGA of America, Corebridge Team golfers. These are club professionals, working longer and stranger hours than most touring professionals have ever dreamed, hallucinated, or conjured. It’s not a surprise to see LIV golfers toward that same end of the field, as their 54-hole events simply don’t prepare them for this sort of cauldron. It’s the fellows like Mackenzie Hughes (plus 7), who just lost a playoff at Myrtle Beach, that surprise us. It’s Rory, Min Woo, and Cantlay at plus 3 that bemuse us. Most importantly, it’s the 128 golfers between minus 5 and plus 4. That’s 128 golfers within 10 shots of the lead. With the weather, the well-known course, and other, unlisted factors, this 2025 PGA Championship promises to provide us with copious, head-scratching moments.

The fourth thing that we learned on Thursday: Lurkerville

We’re going to give you one name from plus 2 to minus 3, that we believe can lurk enough, hang around enough, to be in the mix come Sunday. Please don’t bet any of these hunches, as our track record is little more than a puff of dark smoke.

• +2     Sepp Straka. Dude just won last week. He has more game than a smelly sock.
• +1     Keith Mitchell. This is exactly the sort of major that Keith Mitchells win.
• 0       Bryson DeChambeau. He’s the US Open titleholder. He wants more majors.
• -1      Tommy Fleetwood. Fairway Jesus. He’s getting up in years. He needs to win one of these.
• -2      Byeong Hun An. Ben An sounds like a Jedi, and lord knows, he has banged on enough doors.
• -3      Matt Fitzpatrick. Why him? He owns a major title. Others at this number do not.

The fifth thing that we learned on Thursday: ¡Oye, Chama!

It feels like Jhonattan Vegas has been around since time immemorial. I remember seeing him as an amateur at the Porter Cup, when he was at UTexas. That was another lifetime, when the top amateurs played the top amateur circuit. Times have changed, but the strong Venezuelan won’t give up the dream. Vegas pitched a delightful double bogey on his first hole (number 10) of the day. From that point on, he was lightning. He etched four birdies and a bogey into the remainder of the inward half, then turned from home on number one. Vegas was flawless on his second nine, mating four bogeys with a run of five birdies over his last six holes. His 65 gave him a two-shot advantage over the second-place pair, with 54 holes left to play.