Jordan Spieth played level par for his opening nine holes Thursday in the first round of the PGA Championship, launching his bid to become the youngest player to complete a career Grand Slam.

The 24-year-old American, who won his third major title at last month’s British Open, began on the back nine at par-71 Quail Hollow with five pars before he chipped to four feet and sank his birdie putt at the par-5 15th.

But world No 2 Spieth found a bunker on his approach at 16 and missed a 14-foot par putt for a bogey to stand level at the turn.

With a victory, Spieth would become only the sixth man to sweep the four current major titles in a career after Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.

Spieth, who also won the 2015 Masters and US Open, also would become the youngest golfer to complete a career Grand Slam by winning the Wanamaker Trophy here, being 190 days younger than Woods was when he won the 2000 British Open.

Americans Jim Herman and Gary Woodland, each seeking a first major title, shared the early lead on 3-under par, Herman through 11 holes and Woodland after 10.

Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen was second on 2-under with more than a dozen others one further stroke adrift in the early going, among them England’s Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Chris Wood.

Alongside Spieth in the feature group were the year’s two other major winners, Masters winner Sergio Garcia of Spain and US Open champion Brooks Koepka, an American.

Koepka was level with Spieth after nine holes while Garcia was 4-over after double bogeys at 16 and 18, part of the tough closing three-hole stretch known as “The Green Mile.”

Spieth dismisses the idea of extra pressure trying to break the age mark, saying he has many years to try and complete the career Slam, his larger priority.

“There won’t be added expectations or pressure,” Spieth said. “It’s not a burning desire to have to be the youngest to do something, and that would be the only reason there would be added expectations.”

Spieth also could become the first to finish the career Slam with a victory at the PGA.

“He’s a special guy,” four-time major winner Ernie Els said. “He has won some events really showing some grit. You can’t really describe it, but it’s there. The guy finds a way of getting it done. He’s really playing his game and grinding it out. That’s a great way to win golf tournaments.”

Spieth is ready for the challenge of a course that has absorbed an inch of rain this week, giving long hitters an extra edge with balls plopping into fairways and holding on greens that might otherwise be lightning-fast.

“This is going to be one of the most challenging tracts I think we’ve played,” Spieth said.

McIlroy has afternoon start

Leading the afternoon wave will be world number four Rory McIlroy. The 28-year-old from Northern Ireland could become only the third player to win five majors before turning 30, joining Nicklaus and Woods.

McIlroy, missing only the Masters to complete his own career Grand Slam, hasn’t won a major since the 2014 PGA Championship.

But he has won twice in US PGA Tour events at Quail Hollow, losing a third in a playoff. And he has shown skill in wet weather, notably at the 2011 US Open, where he won his first major.

Other afternoon starters include US stars Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson, Spain’s Jon Rahm and England’s Justin Rose.