The first round of the 93rd USPGA Championship is underway and American Steve Stricker looks well on his way to carding the morning’s most impressive round.
The impressive play of Steve Stricker has succeeded in opening a little daylight at the top of the PGA Championship’s first round leaderboard. After beginning his round on the tenth hole, the American immediately set about stringing together a hat-trick of birdies. Since then, he’s only added to that tally, with additional birdies coming on the fifteenth, eighteenth and first.
Six-under-par through twelve holes, he currently enjoys a three-shot lead over the relatively unheralded Jerry Kelly and in-form Swede Alex Noren.
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An international quartet consisting of jovial Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, Australian John Senden and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero lies a shot further adrift.
Last week’s winner, Adam Scott, carded a one-under-par 69, currently enough for a tie of eighth place. Two more pre-tournament favourites, Nick Watney and Luke Donald, currently sit a shot further back, on level-par.
Predictably, the big news this morning has been the form of fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods. Though an early run of birdies saw him ride a wave of spectator-driven hyteria to the top of the field, his game disintegrated around the turn, leading to a run of eight dropped shots in the same number of holes. His second double bogey of the day, coming on the sixth hole (his fifteenth) leaves him six-over-par for the day.
Woods’ playing partner Padraig Harrington hasn’t fared much better. Clearly struggling with his ball-striking, the Dubliner’s three-over par.
The big shock of the day has been the performance of Ryo Ishikawa. After what was heralded by many as a break-out performance at last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the Japanese star this morning navigated the Athletic Club’s 7,500 yards in a scarcely believable 85 shots. His round included five double bogeys and a triple.
Norther Ireland’s major-winning trio of Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have yet to tee off.
Stricker out on his own at USPGA
The impressive play of Steve Stricker has succeeded in opening a little daylight at the top of the PGA Championship’s first round leaderboard. After beginning his round on the tenth hole, the American immediately set about stringing together a hat-trick of birdies. Since then, he’s only added to that tally, with additional birdies coming on the fifteenth, eighteenth and first.
Six-under-par through twelve holes, he currently enjoys a three-shot lead over the relatively unheralded Jerry Kelly and in-form Swede Alex Noren.
An international quartet consisting of jovial Zimbabwean Brendon de Jonge, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, Australian John Senden and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero lies a shot further adrift.
Last week’s winner, Adam Scott, carded a one-under-par 69, currently enough for a tie of eighth place. Two more pre-tournament favourites, Nick Watney and Luke Donald, currently sit a shot further back, on level-par.
Predictably, the big news this morning has been the form of fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods. Though an early run of birdies saw him ride a wave of spectator-driven hyteria to the top of the field, his game disintegrated around the turn, leading to a run of eight dropped shots in the same number of holes. His second double bogey of the day, coming on the sixth hole (his fifteenth) leaves him six-over-par for the day.
Woods’ playing partner Padraig Harrington hasn’t fared much better. Clearly struggling with his ball-striking, the Dubliner’s three-over par.
The big shock of the day has been the performance of Ryo Ishikawa. After what was heralded by many as a break-out performance at last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the Japanese star this morning navigated the Athletic Club’s 7,500 yards in a scarcely believable 85 shots. His round included five double bogeys and a triple.
Norther Ireland’s major-winning trio of Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have yet to tee off.
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Alex Noren Brendon de Jonge Jerry Kelly John Senden Luke Donald Matteo Manassero Miguel Angel Jimenez Padraig Harrington PGa Championship Ryo Ishikawa Steve Stricker Tiger Woods Update USPGA Championship