Chhim shoots even par in first round of PGA Professional Championship

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (April 27, 2025) ー A pair of battle-tested PGA of America Golf Professionals climbed to the top of the leaderboard during Sunday’s opening round of the 2025 PGA Professional Championship.

Michael Block (Mission Viejo, Calif.) shot a stellar 7-under-par 64 on PGA Golf Club’s Ryder course while Tyler Collet (Vero Beach, Fla.) posted a nearly flawless 7-under-par 65 at the Wanamaker to share a one-stroke lead. Block’s 64 is just the second ever in the Championship’s first round, one shy of both the first-round and single-round scoring record.

Jesse Mueller (Phoenix, Ariz.), Tommi Avant (Chandler, Ariz.) and Trevor Bensel (Lancaster, Pa.) are tied for third one shot back after all three recorded 6-under–par 65s on Ryder. Andre Chi (Queens, N.Y.), Tom Johnson (San Francisco, Calif.), Mike Ballo Jr. (Stamford, Conn.), Nic Ishee (Columbus, Miss.), Peter Ballo (Stamford, Conn.), Brandon Bingaman (Dallas, Texas) and Brady Swedberg (Alexandria, Minn.) are two back after shooting 5-under-par 66s on the Ryder course.

It was a difficult first day for most of the contingent from the South Central Section, which includes Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Kansas.

Cameron Chhim, the assistant pro at Southern Hills, is best positioned to make the 36-hole cut after shooting a 71 on the Ryder Cup course and was in a tie for 65th. The field will be cut to the low 90 and ties following the second round.

Trent Rommann of Wichita and Seth Garner of Little Rock shot 75 on the Ryder Cup course. Tracy Phillips of Tulsa shot 76 on the Wanamaker Course as did Austin Peters of Duncan. Jett Johnson of Oklahoma City shot 78 on the Wanamaker Course where Chris Tidland of Stillwater shot 80. Live scoring is here.