WHY RORY MCILROY'S DRIVER MAY HAVE VIOLATED PGA CHAMPIONSHIP RULE AS HISTORY REPEATS

The Masters champion was forced into a last-minute change before his struggles at Quail Hollow.

Rory McIlroy has been using a different driver this week. (Image: Getty)

Rory McIlroy might have narrowly made the cut at the PGA Championship, but he had to do it without his favoured driver. The Northern Irishman teed off as the pre-tournament favourite at Quail Hollow, but was left fighting to simply make the weekend after a roller coaster second round.

McIlroy began the day three-over-par and, at one point, appeared to be charging as he reached one under after 10 holes. His progress stalled, though, and he eventually carded a 69 after six birdies and four bogeys. That left him one-over-par, meaning he survived by just one shot, but is still nine back from leader Jhonattan Vegas.

However, it has emerged that the 36-year-old had to deal with a last-minute club switch before his first round on Thursday. CBS Sports reported that his regular driver was deemed ‘nonconforming’ after tests by the USGA.

The sanction was due to the worn-down carbon face of McIlroy’s Qi10 club. This can occur if a driver has been used frequently, and the more the face flexes on impact, the more head speed that can be generated.

McIlroy has been using his current driver since the start of last year. Officials have now judged it to be producing a ‘Coefficient of Time’ (CT) that is too high. The higher the CT, the faster the ball will come off the face, which potentially increases distance off the tee. 

McIlroy is deemed one of the fastest and most powerful players on the tour, meaning the life cycle of his drivers is likely to be shorter than most. Indeed, it’s not the first time the Grand Slam champion has fallen foul of the regulations.

He was also forced into a late change at the Players Championship in TPC Sawgrass two years ago. Rival Xander Schauffele suffered the same fate at the 2019 Open.

Regardless, the world No.2 has been in no mood to discuss the controversy or his performance at Quail Hollow. After both rounds, he’s headed straight off the course after declining to speak to the media.

- FRASER WATSON

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER SHOOTS SCORCHING 61 TO LEAD BYRON NELSON

May 1, 2025; McKinney, Texas, USA; Scottie Scheffler watches his shot from the sixth tee during the first round of the THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Scottie Scheffler shot his best round of the season, a 10-under-par 61, to set the pace on the first day of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday in McKinney, Texas.

When Scheffler's final putt dropped in the late afternoon, he had a two-stroke lead over Rico Hoey of the Philippines and Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela. Vegas was still playing his final hole.

The World No. 1 is still seeking his first win of the year after racking up seven PGA Tour titles in 2024. With eight birdies, an eagle and no bogeys Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch, Scheffler put himself in prime position to break through and win in his home state of Texas for just the second time in his pro career.

Scheffler ran off four birdies in a row starting at the third hole. His irons and wedges were dialed in, as he put his tee shot at the par-3 fourth to about 4 feet of the pin and his approach at the par-4 sixth to just 2 feet.

He made a 4-footer for eagle at the par-5 ninth to go out in 7-under 29.

Scheffler made just one birdie over the next seven holes before sticking his tee shot at the par-3 17th to 2 feet. He had a 26-foot eagle putt at the par-5 18th that would have given him a round of 60, and it came up just a few feet shy.

Scheffler rocketed past Hoey, who had the early lead with an 8-under 63 that featured an eagle and a run of five birdies between the second and sixth holes.

Tied at 7-under 64 were Germany's Setphan Jaeger as well as the United States' Cameron Champ, Michael Thorbjornsen, Eric Cole and Andrew Putnam.

Jordan Spieth, a Dallas native like Scheffler, turned in a 2-under 69.

- FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

JHONATTAN VEGAS TAKE 3M LEAD AFTER SHOOTING THIRD-ROUND 63

AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

BLAINE, Minn. -- Jhonattan Vegas birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar on Saturday in the 3M Open.

Vegas had a 16-under 197 total at the TPC Twin Cities. The 39-year-old Venezuelan has three PGA Tour victories, the last a successful title defense in the 2017 Canadian Open.

"Just kind of makes you feel like you're doing the right thing and you've just got to keep working hard," Vegas said.

The 46-year-old Kuchar also shot 63, chipping in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-5 18th for probably the largest crowd roar of the tournament. He won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles at the 2019 Sony Open.

"You can really let your focus go, let all the focus that you're carrying on, you can kind of just let that go and know that you're done for the day and you can kind of enjoy the moment a little more than if you've got three or four holes left to go," he said.

Maverick McNealy, with another 63, was two strokes behind. Patrick Fishburn, with yet another 63, was four back at 12 under with Sahith Theegala (66). Theegala won the Fortinet Championship last year for his first tour victory.

"A lot of low scores out there," Theegala said. "I don't know how, still feels hard walking off the 18th green, there's so much water, so many stressful shots. Just hats off to the guys for shooting 64s and 63s, especially on the top of the board."

Four shots back to start the day, Vegas birdied Nos. 5 and 6 and added three more two-birdie bursts on the back nine -- on Nos. 11-12, 14-15 and 17-18. He made a 5-footer on the par-3 17th and tapped in on 18.

Vegas has dominated on the back nine through three rounds. He is even par on the front nine, but 16-under on Nos. 10-18.

"I've just been getting lucky on the back nine and hitting some good shots and making some great putts," Vegas said. "You have to hit your irons really well on the back nine here, which I've been able to do for the past three days," he said.

Kuchar missed the cuts in nine of his first 11 events this year and 11 of 18 overall, with his best finish a tie for 17th at the Charles Schwab Challenge two months ago.

On Saturday, he three-putted for double bogey on the par-3 fourth, then birdied the next four holes. He tapped in for birdie on the 167-yard 17th after a near ace.

"In the air I had a good feeling it was going to be good, not quite as good as it turned out," Kuchar said. "I think it's always a bonus on a tough hole when you get to walk up and tap a birdie in without even having to think about your second shot."

Cam Davis (65), Adam Svensson (66) and Matt NeSmith (70) were five shots back at 11 under.

Second-round leader Taylor Pendrith had a double bogey and four bogeys in a 73 that left him six shots back.