KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — The breakthrough moment Thursday wasn’t just the sun shining over Kiawah Island. It was Carl Pettersson breaking 70 for the first time in 21 tries at the PGA Championship to take the lead. It was Rory
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — The breakthrough moment Thursday wasn’t just the sun shining over Kiawah Island. It was Carl Pettersson breaking 70 for the first time in 21 tries at the PGA Championship to take the lead. It was Rory McIlroy flashing that boyish smile and bashing tee shots.
And yes, even John Daly showing there might be another cycle left in that up-and-down career.
Pettersson, a winner earlier this year in South Carolina down the coast at Hilton Head, got the best of the weather on a steamy day on the Ocean Course and didn’t waste the opportunity. He made three birdies in four holes, never dropping a shot and winding up with a 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead.
McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain and Alex Noren of Sweden each shot 67.
“There really wasn’t much wind on the front nine, so I knew I had to keep going low because I figured the wind would get up,” Pettersson said. “The wind started blowing a little bit on the back nine, and I carried on solid play. So it was a great day for me.”
It was a good day for Tiger Woods, nothing more.
Despite having to get up and down for bogey on three holes, he made enough birdie putts for a 69, a reasonable start as he tries to end the longest drought of his career in the majors. This is his 14th major since he won his last one in 2008 and the last one of an otherwise good season.
“Anything in the 60s is going to be a good start in a major championship,” Woods said. “And I’m right there.”
He had plenty of company, with some players who had not been heard from in a while and others who were all too familiar.
Woodland, who started the season with a new coach (Butch Harmon) and injured himself working too hard on the changes, is feeling better and hitting it longer than ever.
Daly made an eagle on the par-5 11th hole and was in the group at 68 that included former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and defending PGA champion Keegan Bradley, who had a birdie-eagle start before he settled into his round.
Adam Scott, in his first major since throwing away the British Open with four bogeys on his last four holes, quickly got back into the mix with a 68.
The group with Woods at 69 included Ben Curtis, Ryo Ishikawa of Japan and Pat Perez, playing his first major this year.
Phil Mickelson, holding down the eighth and final spot in the Ryder Cup standings, was all over Kiawah Island and did a remarkable job scrambling to salvage a 71.
Lindberg flies high with 64 at Jamie Farr Toledo Classic
SYLVANIA, Ohio — It was unofficially International Day at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic.
The leaderboard might not have had many household names after the first round Thursday, but the leader and her closest pursuers included players representing Sweden, France, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.
Pernilla Lindberg holed birdie putts of 40 and 50 feet and added three 25-footers in a round of 7-under 64 to take a two-shot advantage after the opening round at Highland Meadows Golf Club.
Texan Angela Stanford was two strokes back along with Japan’s Mika Miyazato, South Korea’s Chella Choi, LSU grad Meredith Duncan, rookie Numa Gulyanamitta of Thailand and France’s Karine Icher.
The 2008 champ, Paula Creamer, had a 68, as did Toledo-born Stacy Lewis, the LPGA money leader. Defending champ Na Yeon Choi shot a 71, while Yani Tseng, No. 1 in the world rankings, had a 72.
On a day in which a steady rain turned the greens into dartboards, 71 players — almost half the field of 144 — broke par.
However, Michelle Wie finished with a 75, and Morgan Pressel a 79.
16-year-old Jutanugarn into U.S. Women’s Amateur quarters
CLEVELAND — Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn won two matches Thursday in the U.S. Women’s Amateur to advance to the quarterfinals at The Country Club.
The 16-year-old Jutanugarn, coming off a successful title defense last week in the Junior PGA Championship, routed Bethany Wu of Diamond Bar, Calif., 6 and 4 in the morning, and edged Australia’s Ashlee Dewhurst 3 and 2 in the afternoon in the round of 16.
Jutanugarn will face Erynne Lee of Silverdale, Wash., in the quarterfinals. Lee, one of two U.S. players in the final eight, beat Austin Ernst of Seneca, S.C., 2 and 1 in the round of 16.
