World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stepped onto the first tee at the PGA Championship on Thursday expecting tough competition—but not the kind coming from the stands. Playing in front of a lively, packed crowd at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philadelphia, Scheffler quickly discovered that his love for the Dallas Cowboys doesn't sit well with Eagles country.

Philly sports fans are legendary for their passion—and their playful hostility. These are the same folks who cheered for the "Broad Street Bullies" and once famously pelted Santa Claus with snowballs. So when a fan shouted during a practice round, "Dallas sucks, Scottie! We're gonna smash you on Thanksgiving!" it was just part of the local flavor.

Fortunately, Scheffler took it all in stride. "I got quite a kick out of it," he said with a smile. "The fans were quite funny today. Philly is definitely a sports town." He admitted he hadn't spent much time in the city before this week, but the energy on the course was undeniable. "There were some really cool spots where the crowd could get loud—almost like a punch bowl feel."

And once Scheffler started playing, the gallery had plenty to cheer about. The two-time Masters champion strung together four birdies in a six-hole stretch during the middle of his round, battling cold, windy afternoon conditions to card a three-under-par 67. That score not only silenced any talk about his early-round struggles this season but also put him in a six-way tie for the lead on an incredibly tight leaderboard, where 33 players sit within two shots of the top.

Here's a fun stat: despite winning five major championships, this marks the first time Scheffler has ever held a solo or co-lead after the first round of a major. When told about that, he just chuckled. "Yeah, I think the emphasis is on first round," he said. "There's still a lot of golf left."

For now, though, the World No. 1 is off to a happy start—both on the course and with the famously tough Philly faithful.