First round notes, facts and figures from the first round of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill.
FURYK, SCOTT SHARE LEAD, MATCH CAMPBELL: With their 65s today, 2003 U.S. Open Champion Jim Furyk and 2013 Masters Champion Adam Scott share the lead after the first round of the 95th PGA Championship. They also tied Chad Campbell for the low round posted in a PGA Championship here at Oak Hill. Campbell’s 65 in the third round in 2003 helped him to a runner-up finish.
The 65 also is Furyk’s lowest first-round score in a major championship.
Scott’s previous low PGA Championship score was 67, in the final round in 2006. Scott’s all-time best score in a major championship is 64, in the 2012 Open Championship.
Each player had six birdies and a bogey.
Furyk’s key statistics today: 29 Putts; 8 of 14 Fairways Hit; 15 of 18 Greens in Regulation
Scott’s key statistics today: 22 Putts; 7 of 14 Fairways Hit; 12 of 18 Greens in Regulation
MAJOR CHAMPIONS FINISH 6-UNDER PAR: Led by Scott’s 65, the trio of 2013 Major Champions who played together today finished a collective 6-under par. U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose (68) and Open Champion Phil Mickelson (71) totaled 14 birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys.
ONLY TWO PLAYERS GO BOGEY-FREE: Lee Westwood (who shot 66) and Matt Kuchar (67) were the only players in the field today without a bogey, or worse, on their scorecard.
PLAY SUSPENDED, PLAY RESUMED, PLAY COMPLETED: Play in the opening round was officially suspended today at 4:24 p.m., because of inclement weather. Play resumed at 5:35 p.m. All 156 players were able to complete their rounds today, with the final putt dropping at 8:24 pm., EDT.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer throws his arms into the air after holing his third shot for an eagle at the par five, 13th. (Exclusive photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
JIMENEZ’S CRAZY FIRST DAY: The total on Miguel Angel Jimenez’s card today reads 2-under-par 68. The roundabout way he ultimately got there included:
- Five consecutive birdies (equaling Adam Scott for the longest such string of birdies today)
- Seven total birdies
- Two double bogeys
- No pars made over his first eight holes
ABOUT THE SAME FOR MICKELSON: A double bogey on his final hole today (No. 18) capped a back-and-forth day for 2013 Open Champion Phil Mickelson. Three-over par through four holes, after a double bogey at No. 4, Mickelson rallied with four birdies from Nos. 9 through 14. Alas, Mickelson slipped back into “plus” figures after an errant drive on 18 ultimately led to his second double bogey, for a 1-over-par 71.
TOUGHEST, EASIEST HOLES TODAY: The statistics tell us that the par-4 17th and the par-4 18th holes ranked as the two hardest holes, respectively, in the first round.
The par-5 fourth hole was the easiest.
HARDEST HOLES
No. 17, par-4: 4.378 scoring average, 52 bogeys, 7 double bogeys, 7 birdies
No. 18, par-4: 4.333 scoring average, 54 bogeys, 6 double bogeys, 14 birdies
No. 7, par-4: 4.308 scoring average, 45 bogeys, 8 double bogeys, 13 birdies
EASIEST HOLES
No. 4, par-5: 4.667 scoring average, 61 birdies, 11 bogeys, 1 double bogey
No. 13, par-5: 4.859 scoring average, 47 birdies, 14 bogeys, 5 double bogeys, 1 score worse than bogey
No. 2, par-4: 3.968 scoring average, 34 birdies, 23 bogeys, 3 double bogeys
FIVE TIED FOR LOW PGA CLUB PROFESSIONAL: Five players shot 73 today to pace the contingent of 20 PGA Club Professionals in the field – JC Anderson of O’Fallon, Mo.; Danny Balin of Rockville, Md.; Ryan Polzin of Houston, Texas; Jeff Sorenson of Blaine, Minn; and Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio.
MAKE THAT 12-UNDER PAR FOR RORY: In his last 54 holes of PGA Championship play, from his final two rounds last year in Kiawah Island, S.C., through today, defending PGA Champion Rory McIlroy is a combined 12-under par. With closing rounds of 67-66 last year, and his 69 today, McIlroy has made 18 birdies against just six bogeys.
KAYMER TOPS AMONG PGA CHAMPIONS: The 2-under-par 68 shot by 2010 PGA Champion Martin Kaymer was the best first-round score of the 12 PGA Champions who teed off today at Oak Hill. Kaymer played holes 12 through 14 in 4-under par this afternoon, with an eagle 3 from the fairway at No. 13 producing the loudest roar of the day.
Scores of the other PGA Champions in the field:
Keegan Bradley 69
Rory McIlroy 69
Vijay Singh 70
Rich Beem 71
Phil Mickelson 71
David Toms 71
Tiger Woods 71
Y.E. Yang 72
Davis Love III 74
Padraig Harrington 76
Shaun Micheel 76
TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY: J.J. Henry, who got into the PGA Championship when 1996 PGA Champion Mark Brooks withdrew yesterday because of an injury, had two bogeys and a birdie for a 1-over-par 71 today.
ADVANTAGE, CAPTAIN WATSON: Tom Watson and Paul McGinley, the 2014 United States and European Ryder Cup Team Captains, respectively, played in the same group today. Watson, competing in his third PGA Championship (third most all-time), shot 3-over-par 73 while McGinley finished with 78.
95th PGA CHAMPIONSHIP … BY THE NUMBERS
3 Eagles made in the first round (Nicolas Colsaerts and Kevin Streelman, on the par-5 fourth: and Martin Kaymer on the par-5 13th
7 Birdies on the par-4 17th hole today, the hardest hole on the course, which yielded the fewest birdies of any hole
12 Rounds under par, in the first two rounds combined, of the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club
12 Rounds under par in the first round of the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club
35 Rounds under par in the first round of the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club
65 Low first-round score in the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Jim Furyk and Adam Scott)
66 Low first-round score in the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Phil Mickelson and Rod Pampling)
67 Low first-round score in the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (Craig Stadler)
72.13 Scoring average for the field in the first round of the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill
75.01 Scoring average for the field in the first round of the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill
7,2000 Official yardage at Oak Hill for the first round of the 95th PGA Championship
