Molinari shines, Woods finds mojo at PGA Championship
Play was held up by three hours in the opening round of the 92nd PGA Championship yesterday, a delay that reportedly gave Tiger Woods time to enjoy no less than three breakfasts before he began his round.
If that's true, Woods should make a habit of indulging his dietary desires; the world No. 1 put together a decent round of one-under-par 71, four birdies and three bogeys leaving him three strokes off the lead at Whistling Straits yesterday. That might not sound like the opening round of a potential champion, but compared to last week's career low at the Bridgestone Invitational, the Kohler, Wisconsin course must feel like Xanadu to the 34-year-old.
Good, bad or indifferent, Woods tends to be the headline story of the day. But there were other plotlines, with five players all tied for the lead when play was halted before the round could be completed yesterday because of encroaching darkness.
America's Bubba Watson and Italy's Francesco Molinari both finished the 18 holes on four-under-par 68, Watson finding six birdies and Molinari carding five. Three other players were on the same score but will have to complete their rounds later today, with America's Matt Kuchar and South Africa's Ernie Els two of that trio, each man on four-under having played as far as the 14th. The other man on four-under but yet to finish was the US's Nick Watney, who had made it as far as the 11th.
A stroke further back on three-under were Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, England's Simon Khan, Australia's Jason Day, and American's Ryan Moore and Charles Howell III. World No. 5 Jim Furyk was amongst a host of players on two-under.
Of the other big names, Rory McIlroy was on one-under, having completed 13 holes and hit four birdies, after starting poorly with a bogey on the 1st and a double on the fourth. Steve Stricker was on the same score up to the same hole, even if his round had been less eventful; Stricker hit a solitary birdie, on the 13th. Phil Mickelson was also on one-under, the world No. 2 only having played as far as the 11th.
Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey were all on level par, having completed the 18, while Justin Rose was on the same score but only having played as far as the 10th. Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen was on the same score, having played up to the 11th.
Anthony Kim completed his round on two-over; the American is playing just his second tournament after a three-month lay-off with a thumb injury. US Open winner Graeme McDowell is on the same score, having played only as far as the 11th. And Ireland's Padraig Harrington is three-over, Harrington carding three birdies, four bogeys and a double on the 17th to give himself plenty to do today if he intends to make it through to the weekend.
If Harrington was having a disappointing time of it, that was nothing compared to Sergio Garcia. The one-time world No. 2 has announced that following this tournament, he will be taking a break from the game for a few months; the Spaniard's form has plummeted in recent months, his current world standing down to 50th in the world.
But while there were some who speculated that Garcia's forthcoming break would enable the player to relax, and put in a good performance this week, the 30-year-old's slump continues, Garcia coming home six-over-par 78 on a round comprised of one birdie and seven bogies.
At one point, after his pitch to the green fell some way short of the pin, Garcia repeatedly struck the ground with his club in helpless fury. We've all been there Serge.
The first round will conclude later today, with the second round to follow, hopefully - we say hopefully since play has been delayed once again because the course is engulfed in thick fog for a second day in a row.
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