Koepka and Woods well placed after first round

BROOKS Koepka made an ominous start to his bid for an historic third straight victory in the US PGA Championship as Tiger Woods kept himself firmly in the frame on a top-class leaderboard in San Francisco.

Koepka carded an opening fourunder-par 66 at Harding Park to lie a shot off the early clubhouse lead held by former world No 1 Jason Day, the Australian carding a 65.

Former Ryder Cup team-mates Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer were alongside Koepka on four under, with Open champion Shane Lowry two strokes further back following a 68 matched by Woods.

The 15-time Major winner was two-under-par after four holes, fell back to level par and then made three birdies in four holes before making a bogey on his penultimate hole.

Woods, who is using a slightly longer putter this week to ease the strain on his troublesome back, said: “I figured we were going to get the more favourable conditions today, (but) some of these pins were on the difficult side.

“This course is all about hitting fairways, if you are able to hit the fairways you can get after some of those pins.”

Playing partners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas had to settle for rounds of level par and one over respectively, McIlroy battling back from a hat-trick of bogeys on his front nine with three birdies in four holes around the turn.

Koepka, who won the 2010 US PGA at Whistling Straits, added: “I know you shouldn’t live in the past, but if the past can help you in the present moment, I’ll take it.”