DeChambeau Struggles to 6-Over 76 in PGA Championship Opener at Aronimink

Bryson DeChambeau struggled through a poor opening round at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday morning. He shot a 6-over 76, failing to record a birdie until his final hole, the par-5 ninth, after starting on the 10th. DeChambeau carded five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 eighth.

One of the world's most popular golfers, DeChambeau is a two-time major champion who has used YouTube to draw younger fans to the sport. But his game has faltered lately. He missed the cut at Augusta National last month, a surprise for a Masters favorite. Now facing back-to-back missed cuts in majors for the first time since 2017, his score sat outside the top 100 after the morning wave.

The PGA Championship fields 20 PGA of America Golf Professionals, or club pros, who qualified through the PGA Professional Championship. Most earn their living teaching lessons, running golf operations and working at facilities, rather than chasing tour purses. Several of those pros outscored DeChambeau, highlighting the roughness of his round.

PGA Tour fans have seen little of DeChambeau since he joined LIV Golf. He has said he would skip rejoining the PGA Tour even if LIV dissolves, to focus on his YouTube channel. That leaves many fans watching him only in the four annual majors.

DeChambeau posted top-10 finishes in six of the eight majors across 2024 and 2025. Those included a win over Rory McIlroy at the 2024 U.S. Open and runner-up showings at both the 2024 and 2025 PGA Championships.

Fans expected him near the top of the leaderboard at Aronimink this weekend based on that form. Social media reactions turned harsh after the first round. He also missed the cut at the 2025 U.S. Open.

DeChambeau can still make the cut with a strong Friday round. But he needs a big turnaround, or he will head home before the weekend for the second straight major. That would mark his third missed cut in four majors, below expectations for a player of his caliber. His response on Friday will set the tone for the final two majors of 2026.