PGA Championship resumes, Kuchar new clubhouse leader
The first round of the PGA Championship resumed nearly three hours behind schedule today, as for the second time in two days heavy fog delayed play, throwing a spanner in the works for the dozens of players yet to concluding their opening round.
The conditions, described by Ian Poulter as "like pea soup," had also held up play on Thursday, and when failing light called time on the action last night there were still 78 players at work on the Whistling Straits course at Kohler, Wisconsin. Today's additional delay means the second round is very unlikely to be completed today, and could cause headaches for the organisers if there's more bad weather tomorrow.
But whatever, at least we've finally got some play. Matt Kuchar picked up where he left off today, birdying his 15th hole, the 6th (Kuchar started his round on the 10th yesterday). That put the 32-year-old on five-under-par 67, and Kuchar maintained that score with three level pars on the remaining holes to finish as the new clubhouse leader. Kuchar lies a stroke ahead of Bubba Watson and Francesco Molinari, each of whom completed their rounds yesterday.
Ernie Els and Korea's Seung Yul Noh both finished their rounds today on four-under-par to join Watson and Molinari in second place. Jason Day had also been on four-under when play was suspended yesterday, but the Australian slipped to three-under en route to completing his round today.
There was worst news for European golfers, with Darren Clarke slipping all the way from three-under to two-over, with three bogeys in a row and then a double on the 17th. That is a hammer blow for the Ulsterman who had hoped to attract Colin Montgomerie's attention for a place on the Ryder Cup team.
Justin Rose didn't do his cause much good today either, with two bogeys on the 14th and 15th pushing him to two-over for the tournament with three left to play. And even Rory McIlroy was out of sorts, a double bogey on the 15th messing with the 21-year-old's mojo, though a birdie on the 17th at least saw him finish the round one-under.
And Phil Mickelson managed to slide down the leaderboard too, the world No. 2 carding a couple of bogeys on the 14th and 16th to slip to one-over, two strokes behind Tiger Woods, the man he hopes to replace as world No. 1 this weekend. Mickelson, who recently revealed he is suffering from a form of arthritis, still has time to turn things round, but the prospect of playing another 18 holes today - or as many of them as he can fit in, at least - may not fill the 40-year-old with delight.
Tags: