US PGA Championship 2025 First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 20/1 to 90/1

• 20/121.00 Bryson DeChambeau has all roads leading to him

• 75/176.00 Tony Finau has good FRL history in the majors

• 90/191.00 Rasmus Hojgaard is a huge hitter with FRL pedigree

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Weather forecast for Thursday

After plenty of rain in the build-up and even another drop or two in the early hours of Thursday, it's a mix of sun and cloud for day one.

Temperatures rise from the late 60s to a peak of around 90 in mid-afternoon. Winds pick up a little too over the same period but only to around 10mph so there's no obvious bias.

As for FRL history in this event, it seems to be a raft of famous names. Xander Schauffele (62, 2024), Bryson DeChambeau (66, 2023) and Rory McIlroy (65, 2022) were the last three outright leaders after day one.

Brooks Koepka topped the R1 leaderboard in 2019 while Gary Woodland was the pacesetter in 2018. There are a lot of big hitters in there. Another would make sense at lengthy and soft Quail Hollow.

Bryson DeChambeau @ 20/121.00

It's a very obvious starting point but DeChambeau has excellent claims to be the US PGA first-round leader for the second time in three years.

Those who don't follow LIV closely may know that he had a recent win in Korea. But less well documented is that he's been the 18-hole leader in the last two LIV events thanks to rounds of 63 (Mexico) and 65 (Korea).

He was also fifth after the opening lap of the Masters and second after day one of the LIV Golf Miami event the week prior.

As for majors, Bryson has twice been FRL at Augusta (2019 and 2024) while he's been fourth and seventh on the Thursday leaderboard in the last two editions of the US Open.

He really is a heavyweight in this event having finished runner-up last year and fourth in two of his previous three US PGAs so, with conditions to suit, it's hard to ignore his claims.

DeChambeau tees off at 1.47pm from the 1st local alongside Viktor Hovland and Gary Woodland.

Tony Finau @ 75/176.00

Back to the morning wave and I'll have a punt on Tony Finau.

Finau fits the bill as a name player who can really launch it and has a pedigree in this market.

Looking at his FRL history, the man from Utah was second after day one in last year's US PGA, the fifth time in the last eight editions he'd ended the first day 17th or better.

One of those came here at Quail Hollow when it staged the 2017 US PGA, a 69 good enough for eighth after day one was in the books.

Finau has opened with 68s in the last two US Opens, sitting sixth after 18 holes last year while he's been second following the first lap in both the US Masters and the Open Championship.

He's been pretty average so far this year - although February was good with 13th at Pebble and fifth at the Genesis - but there were signs of a spark in last week's Truist Championship.

The 35-year-old started out with a 65 and was sixth with a round to go before eventually finishing 11th.

With some good vibes on his side, Finau can make an early mark.

Rasmus Hojgaard @ 90/191.00

A Dane, Thorbjorn Olesen, shared the lead after round in the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.

And I'm going to back another to make an early impression this time.

Rasmus Hojgaard was always a fast starter on the DP World Tour and in 2024 he was FRL at both the Dubai Desert Classic and the Danish Golf Championship.

This year, he's bedding into life on the PGA Tour and already he's been second after 18 holes twice - at Pebble Beach and in the Zurich Classic pairs event with twin Nicolai.

In his last two starts, Rasmus has opened with a 65 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and a 66 in last week's Truist Championship.

He's relatively new to this level but he's made his last three cuts in the majors and at Augusta last month only winner McIlroy (66) bettered Hojgaard's 67 in round two.  

Hojgaard ranks 8th for Driving Distance this season and completes a trio of big-hitting FRL selections.

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