“It was a great atmosphere out there, the fans were making loads of noise and it was nice to be playing in the group behind Rory, Jason (Day) and Phil (Mickelson), because you could get a good view of the crowds”.
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World No. 1 Jason Day coasted to an opening-round 2-under-par 33-35=68 to sit three strokes off the early lead at this week’s PGA Championship. “You can make it here, but are you good enough to stay?”
Walker took advantage of smoother greens in the morning Thursday at Baltusrol by rolling in six birdies for a 5-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead after the opening round of the final major that delivered its share of surprises.
But aside from an in-form Mickelson there is a host of talent hoping to triumph.
Since achieving a tied eighth finish at Oak Hill in the 2013 US PGA, he has recorded six more top-10s in Majors as well as a victory at Oakmont.
“I haven’t won this tournament from this position before, so I’ll need a low one tomorrow”, McIlroy said.
“I just walked over and said, ‘Phil, what a fantastic performance, it was a lot fun to watch, ‘” Spieth said. I just step up and hit it.
This could finally be Sergio’s moment.
Emiliano Grillo certainly wants to win his first this week at the PGA Championship.
RORY MCILROY ENDURED a miserable start to the US PGA Championship as Jimmy Walker claimed the early lead in round one at Baltusrol.
His accuracy off the tee and brilliant iron play should suit the course so expect a sustained challenge from Rose.
Hard to believe a 27-year-old man with four majors is that slow a learner – hit them harder, Rory, so they get to the hole – but whatever, he certainly must do SOMETHING.
Masters champion Danny Willett is among the late starters in New Jersey.
“When you hear the words that Jack (Nicklaus) and Tom (Watson) and a lot of the best players that have ever played the game are giving us credit for how we played, that’s obviously very pleasing and very humbling”. I felt like I was ready to go.
First up, Patrick Reed. There’s also that Ryder Cup at the end of the year.
My second pick is South African ace Louis Oosthuizen.
Walker, who has missed four cuts in his last eight events including the U.S. Open and British Open, found his form at the year’s last major.
Oosthuizen won the Perth International in February and finished second at the WGC-Dell Match Play in March, so he’s had success in the first half of 2016. It was the first time since he won the PGA Championship a year ago that Day started a major with a round under par.
A top 10 finish at The Open, where he played consistent golf in tricky conditions, was followed up with a T2 at the Canadian Open at the weekend.
And yet, there they were, Spieth and Mickelson walking together at Baltusrol Golf Club accompanied by wholly disparate prospects.
One potential fly in the ointment for DJ could be Branden Grace. It’s only a matter of time before he wins again and it may well could be this week. And fortunately for those watching at home, Jim Nantz and many of his colleagues at CBS, which takes the baton from TNT for the weekend’s final two rounds, will offer their takes during the Thursday and Friday telecasts as well. I’ve just been getting a bit too frustrated.
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This will be his first start since Royal Troon, so he should be fresh as well.
