Lahiri shoots 73 in Round 1

Springfield (US), July 29 

Anirban Lahiri got off to a difficult start as he carded a three-over 73 to be tied 107th after Round 1 at the PGA Championship at the Baltusrol Golf Club here.

The world No. 64 on Thursday made two bogeys on the par-four third and par-three fourth holes before making par efforts on the next five holes. The 29-year-old showed signs of recovery as he birdied the par-four 10th hole but a bogey and a double-bogey on the 13th and 15th holes pushed him back further. A birdie on the par-five 17th gave, however, helped him end on a high.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Walker fired a five-under 65 to take a one-shot lead over a group of three golfers after the first round of the final Major of the year. The 37-year-old American birdied two holes on the front nine and four on the back nine and bogeyed just one hole —- the par-four sixth.

Right behind him with a 66 are Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo, England’s Ross Fisher and Germany’s Martin Kaymer. 

“The greens were absolutely perfect and the fairway seemed like the putting green at my house,” the 23-year-old Grillo said after making six birdies and rediscovering his feel with the putter. “I’ve been working hard with my caddie Jose Luis Campa on the putter and we got results,” the Argentine said with relief in his voice after struggling on the greens in the past two weeks at the British Open and the Canadian Open.

South Korean KJ Choi, who is playing his first Major of 2016, is three shots behind Walker, while Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, fresh off winning the British Open in a thrilling final-round duel with American great Phil Mickelson, is two shots back.

Australian world No. 1 and defending champion Jason Day started strong with a two-under 68 and Phil Mickelson carded a 1-over 71.

But American world No. 2 Dustin Johnson is in danger of missing the cut after shooting a disastrous seven-over 77. — IANS