Low Scores Abound at Valhalla; Tiger Shoots 74 & Dufner Withdraws


Three players fired 6-under 65s to take a share of the 18-hole lead in the 96th PGA Championship. The fourth and final major of the year got underway Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville.

Tied for the top spot are England's Lee Westwood and Americans Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer. After starting with a potentially damaging double-bogey, the 41-year-old Westwood rebounded, carding five birdies to make the turn in 3-under 32 before adding four more birdies - against a dropped shot at the par-4 15th - for a 33 on the inward half.

Westwood had a bit of bad luck on the first hole when his perfect drive stopped in an unfilled divot. He told reporters later that he received some verbal support from caddie Billy Foster, who reminded Westwood of his 63 in the final round of last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.

"I'm just not a patient person and I get frustrated really quickly when I know I can play better than I'm actually doing," Westwood said. "That's where a good caddie comes in, sort of talks to you calmly and says, 'Just keep doing what you're doing and it will come.'

"Hate to hear those words from him," Westwood quipped of his long-time looper. "But he's right."

Chappell, a 28-year-old Californian, had a spotless outing with six birdies, while Palmer posted seven birdies and a bogey.

"I guess I was in a good rhythm out there," said Chappell, who's searching for his first Tour title. "Drove the ball well. Hit a lot of greens and gave myself some opportunities and I was able to take advantage of it, something that hasn't happened a lot for me this year, but looking forward to building on today and moving forward."

One stroke behind the co-leaders are Pennsylvania's Jim Furyk, Italy's Edoardo Molinari, Sweden's Henrik Stenson, England's Chris Wood and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy got off to a solid start with three birdies on the front nine. But on the par-5 10th McIlroy recorded a double-bogey when he his second shot went over a fence and he took a one-stroke penalty, then followed that with a three-putt bogey on the par-3 11th.

But the 25-year-old - who's coming off two straight victories in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and the Bridgestone last Sunday - showed why he's ranked No. 1 in the world, reeling off four straight birdies and closing out his round with another birdie on the par-5 last at Valhalla.

"I was really annoyed," McIlroy told a TV reporter of his double, "probably the worst shot I've hit in a couple weeks. But I got on that run there and am very pleased with a 66 . . . I've got three more rounds and, hopefully, they'll be as good as today."

McIlroy added that he was able to convert the negativity generated on Nos. 10 and 11 - he told the media that as he walked to the 12th tee "I was muttering a few things to myself" - into positive energy. "I think you have to take whatever you are feeling inside and try and turn it into a positive.

"I was hot. It's trying to use that fire as a fuel to sort of propel yourself forward. It was great. I think it just shows where my game is mentally right now, as well, that I was able to do that today."

Opening with 67s were Finland's Mikko Ilonen and 47-year-old veteran Jerry Kelly of Wisconsin. Another stroke back are Dutchman Joost Luiten, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, England's Ian Poulter and Danny Willet, Ireland's Shane Lowry, Aussie Matt Jones, South Korean Seung-Yul Noh and Americans Shawn Stefani and J.B. Holmes.

Holmes, a native of Kentucky and one of the gallery favorites, posted six birdies, a bogey and a double on the par-4 13th. Holmes' fellow Kentuckian, 53-year-old Kenny Perry, had a 72.

Phil Mickelson, a Wanamaker Trophy winner in 2005, shot a 2-under 69. Lefty is coming off a great round in last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, an 8-under 62, and was pleased with his play Thursday despite starting off with a bad drive on the opening hole, the par-5 10th.

"You know, I was saying that I felt so good heading in this tournament, I had a great final round last week Sunday, but I also had three great practice days," who ended up parring the 10th. "My game felt really sharp. I stood on the first tee for the first time this year like I was ready to play, ready to compete, and try to win a championship. I hit the ugliest shot off the first hole. I mean, it was so far left I don't even know what to say. I was lucky it wasn't out-of-bounds. Horrific.

"I did the same thing on the next hole and played the first eight holes 2 over par. Yet I knew that it was there. I knew my game was still there. I wasn't worried. I had to make some confident swings. I hit some good solid shots, played the last 10 holes well in 4 under.

"I just need to get on the first tee with more confidence," added Mickelson, who's paired in the first two rounds with fellow multiple-major champions Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington. "When you are not in contention, when you haven't won a tournament, when you haven't played the way you expect to and you are not in the final groups for a while, you get nervous and that is exactly what happened. I just made some unconfident swings. I need to make confident, aggressive swings from the first hole, first shot, from here on forward because I can't afford to play like I did those first eight holes."

Among those joining Mickelson in a tie for 20th after 69s are Rickie Fowler, three-time winner Jimmy Walker, Jason Day, Geoff Ogilvy (coming off a win last Sunday in the Barracuda Championship) and Steve Stricker, appointed this week by 2014 USA Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson as his assistant.

Reigning Masters' champion Bubba Watson had a 70, and Tom Watson - at 64 the oldest player in the PGA Championship - a 72.

Mickelson had a front-row seat observing Woods, who arrived in Louisville on Wednesday. It was uncertain that the 14-time major winner would even play after he withdrew at Firestone midway through the final round due to a recurrence of his back injury. But Woods hung in there Thursday, posting a 3-over 74.

"I thought he played with a lot of heart," said Mickelson of his long-time rival. "It's not easy when your game isn't where you want it and you're hitting shots that you don't be normally hit to fight hard. I thought the second hole was a great example, when he hooked it into the water and a lot of guys would just not play as focused, not put it all in the next shot. He grinded out a bogey. He made a great up and down, made a 15 footer for bogey. I just thought it showed a lot of heart."

Harrington, who shot a 73, added, ""The man looks like he needs to play some golf. He looked kind of raw."

Woods agreed. "It wasn't very good," he said after the round. "A lot of bad shots and I never got a putt to the hole. I hit all my lines but just for some reason I thought they were going to be a little bit quicker, and I didn't make the adjustment well enough. I had plenty of looks to turn my round around and then post something even par, even under par."

Woods knows he faces an uphill battle Friday in order to make the 36-hole cut. "I have to get to under par by the end of tomorrow. Or end of my second round. If we get storms, it could be Saturday," Woods said. "If I get under par for two rounds that will be right in the ball game."

When asked later whether he was going to hit some practice balls after his first round, Woods responded, "Not today. I'm going to go get treatment and make sure this thing is nice and loose for tomorrow."

The storms Woods were referring to Friday include scattered thunderstorms in the morning with perhaps more lightning and thunder in the afternoon.

Australia's Adam Scott, who was supplanted as the top-ranked player in the world on Monday by McIlroy, opened with an even-par 71 and is six out of the lead. "I just didn't have any rhythm in my swing, right from the first shot of the day, and it can be a battle like that sometimes," the Adelaide native said.

The club pro with the low score through 18 holes is Steven Schneiter, who had a 72.

Defending champion Jason Dufner wasn't able to overcome his neck problems. The 37-year-old, who won by two strokes last year at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., succumbed to the issues that have plagued him since the Masters in April. After recording a 5-over 40 on the front nine, Dufner withdrew because of bulging discs in his neck.

"I won't play golf again until I'm healthy," he told reporters later. "That could be at The Barclays. That could be next year. That could be 2016. I refuse to be out here and not be healthy. You're not giving yourself a chance to be competitive."

It was tough for Dufner to not stick it out, but he likely made the right decision. "I was trying to get healthy for these last couple of weeks for a pretty good run here at Firestone and the PGA," he said, "and I wasn't able to do it. I've done everything I can. There's no point to be out there hacking it around."

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