Michael Block struck the opening tee shot at the 100th US PGA Championship in his hometown on Thursday.
Club pro Block got the final major of the year under way at 6.50am local time at Bellerive Country Club in the St. Louis suburbs, two miles from where he grew up.
The former University of Missouri-St. Louis player started with a par, while New Zealander Ryan Fox made the first birdie of the tournament.
A star-studded group of defending champion Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy start their opening rounds at 8.23am in Missouri.
Jordan Spieth, eyeing a career Grand Slam, goes out at 1.37pm along with Justin Rose and Jon Rahm.
