Rai makes a good start at the US PGA Championship

Rai sunk five birdies and two bogeys to place alongside a group of 13 other players at three-under that includes Bryson DeChambeau, Max Homa, Viktor Hovland and Cameron Smith.

Starting on the 10th, he picked up a shot on his opening hole before immediately dropping it again on the 11th.

But he reached the turn at one-under after a flawless remainder of the back nine – posting a birdie on the 13th.

Like several players, he found birdies easy to come by on the front nine – hitting three more on the second, fourth and ninth holes – while only dropping a shot on the par-four fifth.

He resumes his campaign in the third group today alongside Josh Bevell and Jordan Smith, teeing off at 12.26pm.

Xander Schauffele takes a record-equalling three-shot lead after again writing his name into the history books.

For the second time in 11 months, Schauffele matched the lowest score in men’s major championship history, the Olympic champion recording nine birdies in a flawless 62 to match the mark set by Branden Grace in the 2017 Open.

Grace’s feat was equalled by Rickie Fowler and Schauffele himself in the opening round of last year’s US Open, although neither man went on to lift the title at Los Angeles Country Club.

“It feels great,” Schauffele said. “It’s just day one, but if someone had said I was going to shoot nine-under, I would certainly have taken it.

“I’ve been playing some really good golf, having a lot of close calls, so me and my team say why not keep chugging along?”

Despite such a low score, Schauffele was only three shots clear of compatriots Tony Finau and Sahith Theegala, with Rory McIlroy and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre part of a five-strong group on five-under.