Hearn, Garrigus share early lead on Day One
Rochester ( New York), Aug. 8: Top- ranked Tiger Woods put himself among the contenders at the PGA Championship after his first nine holes on Thursday but it was David Hearn and Robert Garrigus who shared the early lead.
Canada’s Hearn was on four- under par after 12 holes while American Garrigus was at the same total with only four holes remaining of his opening round in the year’s final major tournament.
American David Toms, who won his lone major crown at the 2001 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, stood third on threeunder with a pack at two- under including Woods, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, England’s Paul Casey and Australian Matt Jones.
Woods, seeking his first major title since the 2008 US Open, began on the back nine and sank a 10- foot par putt at the 10th then went up and down at the par- 3 11th after finding the greenside rough.
Woods birdied the par- 5 13th and sank an eightfoot birdie putt at the par- 3 15th to stand twounder. He found the greenside rough at 17 but holed a five- foot par putt and at 18 he went into a greenside bunker but blasted out to four feet and made his par putt.
Hearn opened with a bogey but responded with birdies at the second, the par- 5 fourth and the par- 3 sixth holes and seized the lead with a birdie- birdie start to the back nine.
Hearn, who grew up five blocks from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky’s home, achieved his best PGA finish last month, losing a playoff at the John Deere Classic on the fifth extra hole to US teen Jordan Spieth, who became the tour’s youngest winner since 1931.
Garrigus, a back- nine starter, led early after birdies at the 11th, 12th and par- 5 13th holes. After stumbling with a birdie at the 18th, he answered with a birdie at the second and par- 5 fourth to reach fourunder.