England's Alex Fitzpatrick wasted no time making his mark at the US PGA Championship, sinking a stunning 28-foot birdie putt on the first hole to kick off his campaign in style. The 27-year-old, teeing off in the lead group at 6:45 a.m. in southwest Philadelphia, is competing in just his second major—and he's already turning heads.

Playing alongside local pro Braden Shattuck and American Ben Griffin, Fitzpatrick split the fairway with his opening tee shot before that memorable putt set the tone for a promising round. Fresh off a two-year PGA Tour card secured with his brother Matt at the Zurich Classic last month, Alex is riding a wave of momentum that has golf fans taking notice.

The Fitzpatrick brothers have been on fire lately. Alex followed that Zurich victory with a ninth-place finish at the Cadillac Championship and a fourth-place showing at last week's Truist Championship. Meanwhile, older brother Matt—a Ryder Cup regular—has already notched three PGA Tour wins this season. Together, they're part of a strong European contingent looking to break the Americans' stranglehold on this major, with the last 10 winners all hailing from the U.S.

Leading that European charge is Rory McIlroy, who's chasing back-to-back majors after defending his Masters title last month. The Northern Irishman aims to become just the fifth player since 1960 to win the first two majors of the year. He tees off at 8:40 a.m. alongside fellow multiple major winners Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth in what promises to be a must-watch group.

With Fitzpatrick setting the pace early, this year's PGA Championship is shaping up to be a thrilling battle between rising stars and established legends. Whether you're rooting for the underdog or the favorites, one thing's clear: the action at Aronimink Golf Club is just getting started.