AMERICAN Jimmy Walker is leading a major for the first time in his career after carding a five-under par 65 in the first round of the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol on Thursday.
The little known Texan 37, had a one-shot lead over two-time major champion, Germany’s Martin Kaymer, England’s Ross Fisher and Emiliano Grillo of Argentina.
Fisher’s 66 was his lowest round in any major while his compatriot, Andy Sullivan, is tied for fifth on 67.
Swede Henrik Stenson, who held off Phil Mickelson to win the Open at Troon earlier this month, is two shots off the pace after with five birdies and two bogeys in his three-under 67.
Stenson is trying repeat Ben Hogan’s feat of 1953 as the only players to win back-to-back majors at the age of 40.
Defending champion and world No 1, Aussie Jason Day, and England’s Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston both carded 70s.
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It wasn’t the best of days for big-hitting American Dustin Johnson or Rory McIlroy.
Johnson, the US Open champion with a chance to go to No 1 in the world, spent time in the trees, in the water and couldn’t get out of a bunker.
He managed only one birdie in a round of 77 and he wasn’t alone in his misery in what is the final major of the year.
McIlroy took 35 putts and didn’t make a single birdie in his round of 74.
Masters champion Danny Willett finished one over par, a shot behind two-time major winner and world No 3, Jordan Spieth.
English trio Chris Wood, Paul Casey and Lee Westwood all opened with one-under 69s, the same score as Welsh duo Bradley Dredge and Jamie Donaldson.
Justin Rose battled back from two over after 10 to finish level par, while Scotland’s Russell Knox also posted 70.
See the full leaderboard at http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/pga-championship/leaderboard.html
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