ATLANTA (Georgia): Steve Stricker matched the low round in major golf history, firing a seven-under par 63 on Thursday for a two-shot lead while Tiger Woods stumbled to an opening 77 at the 93rd PGA Championship.
Stricker, a 44-year-old American seeking his first major title after being a perennial contender, had a chance to become the first man to record a 62 in a major but missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole, his last of the day.
“I realized it was for 62. I didn’t realize it was for history,” Stricker said.
Former World No. 1 and 14-time major winner Woods, in the second week of a comeback after a three-month injury layoff, fired his worst opening round in a major, matching the sixth-worst round of his career.
It was the worst round ever at a US-based major by the 14-time major champion and matched the second-worst of his career at any major event, the only worse major round his epic 10-over 81 at the 2002 British Open.
Jerry Kelly, a pal of fellow Wisconsinite Stricker, was second on 65 with American Shaun Micheel on the course at four-under through 15 holes.
American Scott Verplank was third on 63 with Australian Jason Day, a runner-up at this year’s US Open and Masters, at three-under through 13 holes.
In the clubhouse on 68, five strokes adrift, were Italian teen star Matteo Manassero, Zimbabwe’s Brendon de Jonge, Australian John Senden and Americans Davis Love, Bill Haas and Brandt Jobe.
No American has won a major title since Phil Mickelson at the 2010 Masters, a record US drought of six majors. If no US player hoists the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday, 2011 will be the first year since 1994 with no US major winner.
Another drama was playing out at Atlanta Athletic Club as US Open champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was playing with an injured right forearm and doing so better than many healthy rivals, standing one-under after 13 holes.
The prodigy, who made his major breakthrough two months ago at Congressional Country Club, hurt his right arm when blasting a 7-iron shot near a tree root on the third hole, on which he took a bogey.
McIlroy iced the forearm and had a medical trainer examine it amid fears he might have to withdraw, but he taped his right wrist and continued playing, making birdies on the par-5 fifth and par-4 sixth and answering a bogey at the eighth with a birdie at 12. (Agencies)