SAN FRANCISCO– Jason Day took his primary step towards a go back to the spotlight in the majors Thursday at the PGA Championship.
Brooks Koepka never ever seems to leave.
Day and Brendon Todd wound up in a share of the lead Thursday after an opening round packed with action, just not cheers. Each published a 5-under 65 at Harding Park, where fog paved the way to the sun, and the wind alleviated simply enough to make the general public course accessible to sensible scoring.
The one consistent seems Koepka.
2 RelatedJust 2 weeks after he missed out on a cut and was so frustrated he said he heaved a club 70 backyards throughout practice, he powered his way to six birdies for a 66 that left him in a large group one shot behind.
” Its just 18 holes right now,” Koepka said. “I feel excellent. I feel great. Im delighted for the next three days. I think I can definitely play a lot better. Just need to tidy a few things up, and well be there come Sunday on the back nine.”
Day, trying to emerge from a downturn that has actually kept him from winning considering that 2018 and competing in majors since 2016, hit an approach to 6 feet for birdie on No. 9, the second-toughest hole on the course at 518 backyards for a par 4 at sea level.
Todds round was similarly remarkable. Playing in the afternoon, as the wind reinforced, Todd made 7 birdies and finished with a 10-foot par putt.
Koepka is the two-time safeguarding champ, provided the chance this week to become just the seventh player in the 160-year history of significant championship golf to win the same significant three years in a row. It was last done 64 years ago.
Hes still a little frustrated that he missed a comparable possibility in 2015 down the Pacific coast at Pebble Beach, when he ended up runner-up in his quote for a 3rd straight U.S. Open.
Koepka hasnt won in more than a year. After a slow start, he quickly moved his method up the leaderboard and remained there with a series of crucial putts for par– and one 12-footer for bogey– that provided him an ideal start to this significant.
He was at 66 with 8 other gamers, a list that consisted of former major winners Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer and Zach Johnson, rising star Xander Schauffele and tour novice Scottie Scheffler.
Tiger Woods ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch toward the end of his round that offset a couple of mistakes. He opened with a 68, a solid start for a 15-time major champ who has played just one competition in the past 6 months.
Just under one-third of the field– 47 players– broke par. That included Bryson DeChambeau, who broke his chauffeur on the seventh hole after another vicious swing. Unusually enough, it lastly paved the way when he leaned on it ever so somewhat while getting his tee.
He was able to replace it and challenged the lead– he was 4 under through 10– up until he relapsed to a 68.
Instead of the wind and chill and the thick marine layer, it was pleasant sufficient to make this feel like a casual round of golf.
It sounded like that, too.
Viewers have not been enabled at any competition considering that the PGA Tour returned 2 months ago. Its not less unusual.
” It still amusing,” Rory McIlroy said. “You know, 99, 2000, 2006, 2007 PGA champion, Tiger Woods. And after that theres absolutely nothing. Thats quite interesting. Thats absolutely different.”
McIlroy, Woods and Justin Thomas, the No. 1 player on the planet, each began with a birdie on No. 10 to no applause. They still had the biggest following in two months, some 60 people– reporters, photographers, electronic camera teams, a few park rangers. And there were fans along the road beyond the fence on the 12th hole shouting for Woods.
McIlroy conquered three straight bogeys early in his round for an even-par 70. Thomas was going along great till a set of double bogeys, one on the seventh hole when his ball never ever boiled down from a Monterey Cypress tree. He shot 71.
The start was a good indication for Day, a previous No. 1 gamer in the world, since he has had a hard time so much since his last win 2 years back. And then he finally made a tidy break from his long time coach and lifetime coach, Colin Swatton.
He signed up three top-10s coming into the PGA Championship, and his confidence is growing.
Ditto for Koepka. He missed the cut at the 3M Open in Minnesota two weeks earlier, went house to Florida and during one range session was so annoyed he heaved a few clubs. However a quick video evaluation and some technical work exposed his weight was on the incorrect side. He made the adjustment and tied for second recently at a World Golf Championship.
And this is a significant. Huge Game Brooks is at his best in these.
” He seems to discover his convenience zone in these competitions, in these environments, for whatever factor that is,” McIlroy stated. “I believe we are all simply fortunate that he does not find it every other week.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Im delighted for the next three days. After a sluggish start, he rapidly moved his method up the leaderboard and stayed there with a series of key putts for par– and one 12-footer for bogey– that gave him an ideal start to this major.
The start was a great indication for Day, a former No. 1 player in the world, because he has actually struggled so much since his last win 2 years ago. He missed out on the cut at the 3M Open in Minnesota two weeks ago, went home to Florida and during one variety session was so annoyed he heaved a couple of clubs. He made the modification and tied for second last week at a World Golf Championship.
