Who is Ryan Gerard, PGA Championship Leader at Quail Hollow
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Ryan Gerard is the early first-round leader of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow as he makes his debut in this major.
It looked like he played a different course than most of the field for most of his round, as he signed for a 5-under 66, one shot better than those tied in second.
He opened his day with a birdie and bogey at the par-4 2 and 3. Gerard would make one more birdie to turn in 34 strokes. However, his back nine was when he went nuclear.
The former UNC Tarheel made four straight birdies on holes 10-13. Then followed up with an impressive chip-in eagle from 58 feet at the par-5 15th.
The touch on this chip for eagle 😮💨🦅 pic.twitter.com/iHzSrjM3gs — ESPN (@espn) May 15, 2025
That eagle got him to 7-under on the day. However, part of the Green Mile (holes 16-18) got the best of him. Gerard made a par at the 16th, which caused many players like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler issues.
He made bogey on 17 and 18, dropping back-to-back shots to close his round.
The 25-year-old did not finish his first round like he wanted, but a lot of good came out of those 18 holes.
Gerard currently leads the field in strokes gained tee-to-green with +5.186 and is third in approach-the-green at +2.919.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 15: Ryan Gerard of the United States tees off on the 18th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 15, 2025...
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 15: Ryan Gerard of the United States tees off on the 18th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 15, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. More
Photo byHe should still be very proud of himself because it marked his 13th par or better open round in his last 14 starts. His only over-par score to start a tournament came at the Valero Texas Open, where he finished solo second, his best of the year, per PGA Tour Communications.
Ryan Gerard holds the clubhouse lead at the PGA Championship with a 66, his 13th par-or-better opening round in 14 individual stroke-play events this season. His only over-par opening round (73) this season led to a career-best runner-up finish at the Valero Texas Open. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) May 15, 2025
Regardless, the Raleigh, North Carolina native leads the PGA Championship, which is not easy.
Who is Ryan Gerard?
Not many people know who Ryan Gerard is, so let's examine his career up to this point.
Gerard attended UNC Chapel Hill and turned pro in 2022. He played with Ben Griffin in college and had one college victory at UNC, the 2021 Rod Myers Invitational.
In 2022, he was the co-medalist at the 2022 U.S. Open qualifier at the Club at Admiral's Cove in Jupiter, Fla.
He made his major championship debut at The Country Club for the U.S. Open but missed the cut after going 74-73.
In his first year on Tour, he played in 22 events with 2 top 10s and 3 Top 25s. However, he only made 12 cuts and missed 10.
Gerard went down to the Korn Ferry Tour and played in six events in 2023.
Last year, he played in 26 events on the Korn Ferry Tour.
He won the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD Synnex last June. In those 26 events, Gerard had 4 top 10s and 12 Top 25s while missing just six cuts all season.
The big-time Carolina Panthers fan finished 13th in the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, which gave him exempt status through 2025.
He has taken advantage of that status, too.
So far in 2025, he has 14 starts, one runner-up finish, two Top 10s and six Top 25s. Gerard has also only missed two cuts this year.
His best finish was, of course, at the Valero, but that came after a solo ninth at the Texas Children's Houston Open.
Now he leads the PGA Championship by one shot.
Will that continue for him, and will he shock the world by winning his PGA Championship debut?
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