Scott Jamieson did himself proud scrambling to a one under par 69 on his debut in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester.
Jamieson headed the field of seven Scottish born competitors teeing up in the season’s final major to be lying just four strokes behind former US Open champion, Jim Furyk.
Furyk, 43 is competing in his 19th PGA Championship while his score of 65 on the par 70 Oak Hill layout is his best starting round ever and also seven shots fewer than his first round when the championship was last staged a decade ago on the course.
Jamieson’s round was a mix of three birdies and two bogeys including dropping shots on his two opening holes.
Scott Jamieson posts a 69 on his PGA Championship debut. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I got off to a horrible start to be two over par after two but managed to settle down after that,” he said.
“I played a really nice shot into the 17th or my eighth hole for birdie and then played a great shot into the last and birdied that, so it was nice to head to the back nine at level.
“I managed to then birdie the second or the 11th and then had a few chances coming in but one under is a great score and anything under par on this golf course you have to be happy.
“After missing a couple of fairways I was really pleased with myself in managing to then get myself on the green so that was a good aspect of my play.
“But then I struggled a bit with the putter so I will work on that aspect of my game.”
In fact, Jamieson hit nine of 14 fairways but then did the late Seve Ballesteros proud in scrambling his way to hit all but two of 18 greens in regulation.
And as mentioned, he did struggled with the shortest club in the bag taking 33 putts.
In contrast to Jamieson, Paul Lawrie struggled with most aspects of his game managing to hit eight of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens, and then taking 30 putts in a round of a two over par 72.
It continued an over-70 scoring effort for the Scot who has only broken 70 once now in 17 rounds of the season’s final major and that was on the first day of the 2001 event.
“I just struggled a bit and it was hard going out there,” said Lawrie.
“I see the scoring has been pretty good and it’s weird because the course is pretty tough and I can’t believe how good the scoring is.
“There’s guys shooting five and four under and there incredible scores.
“I just wasn’t expecting that around here as in the practice rounds, I thought the course was pretty severe setup.
“I felt my putting was a bit better today but not great, just all right.
“It’s just that I played poorly tee‑to‑green. I just hit a lot of really, really poor shots today, so 2‑over was about right to be fair.”
Young Jack Gallacher summed up his father’s opening round declaring: “He certainly didn’t deserve five over par.”
Unfortunately, Gallacher was forced to swallow a five over par 75 and his eight over-70 score in nine rounds competing in the PGA Championship.
Gallacher got off to a bright start when he holed a six-foot birdie at the par three third hole but it was the only real joy in his round.
The reigning Omega Dubai Desert Classic champion then watched in despair as his three-quarter 8-iron second shot into par four fifth hole hit the green but then rolled back into a water hazard on route to a double bogey ‘six’.
Gallacher then dropped further shots at six, 10 and 12 before the only other birdie of his round at the par five 13th where he hit 3-iron, 5-iron, pitching wedge to six feet for four.
He then bogeyed the 17th and soon after left the scorer’s hut 10 shots behind clubhouse leader, Jim Furyk and lying in a then share of 115th place.
“There’s not much I can say as five over is five over no matter which way you look at it,” he said.
“I had a nice birdie at three but then after the double at five I had a few three-putts and never really holed anything.
“I felt I hit the ball quite nice but never got anything going, so I’m going to hit a few putts and call it a day.”
Marc Warren, Richie Ramsay and the Texas-based Scot Lee Rhind were out in the afternoon half of the draw.
