Jordan Spieth's chance at the career Grand Slam likely ends early with opening-round 76 at the PGA

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Spieth came to Quail Hollow hoping to follow in Rory McIlroy’s footsteps and complete the career Grand Slam.

After Thursday’s opening round of the PGA Championship, he’d probably be happy just to make the cut.

The 31-year-old Spieth struggled in every facet of the game at demanding Quail Hollow — off the tee, with his approach shots, his chips and even his putting — and shot a 5-over 76, leaving him 12 shots behind leader Jhonattan Vegas and all but ending his hopes this year of capturing the one major that has eluded him since he turned pro 13 years ago.

Spieth could never find his swing and repeatedly misjudged distances to the flag, leaving him scrambling for par all afternoon.

He managed to hold it together early and was even par through eight holes.

Then the wheels came off.

He bogeyed six of of the final 10 holes — chunking a chip from the rough on No. 11 and failed to get up and down for par on No. 18 from the rough, missing a 12-footer to save par. Spieth walked briskly toward the practice range after signing his card and did not take questions.

Playing partner Ludvig Aberg could understand the frustration, but believes Spieth will bounce back.

"Listen, Jordan is an unbelievable player and person," Aberg said. “I was telling my caddie today that he's one of the best, nicest guys in the world. I wouldn't be surprised if gets (the career Grand Slam) someday. But I'm a big Jordan Spieth fan and I will be for a long time.”

It probably won't be this year.

MGM Sportsbook now lists him at 1000-1 to win.

Spieth became the darling of golf at age 21 when he won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015. He captured the British Open two years later, bringing him to the doorstep of one of golf's elite clubs.

But like McIlroy's struggles to win the Masters until last month, Spieth hasn't been able to capture the PGA.

He's had a couple of chances.

He finished second in 2015 and tied for third in 2019. But over the past five years he has been in the middle of the pack — four times finishing between 29th and 43rd. Now he's in danger of missing the cut for the first time since 2014.

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Jordan Spieth waves after making a putt on the ninth hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Jordan Spieth chips to the green on the 12th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt York)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)