Ryder Cup hopeful Lucas Glover birdied three of the last four holes to set the early pace in the PGA Championship first round today while Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were in hot pursuit.
American Glover, 14th in the standings with the 12-man Ryder Cup team to be decided on Monday, fired a six-under-par 66 in near-perfect conditions at Medinah Country Club.
The 26-year-old from South Carolina, whose only PGA Tour victory came at last year's Walt Disney Classic, reeled off eight birdies and two bogeys to hold a one-shot lead in the clubhouse.
Compatriot Billy Andrade, a late addition to the field on Tuesday after 1995 champion Steve Elkington withdrew for personal reasons, opened with a blemish-free 67 while Australia's Robert Allenby was among a group of four on 68.American Billy Mayfair, who had surgery for testicular cancer earlier this month, closed on three-under.
There was little to write home about from an Irish standpoint as Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell both opened with lacklustre three over 75s.
Most eyes at Medinah were focused on the high-profile grouping of tournament favourite Woods (69), Masters champion Mickelson (69) and U.S. Open winner Geoff Ogilvy of Australia (70).
Woods, chasing his 12th career major after winning last month's British Open at Hoylake, recovered from an opening bogey at the 10th with birdies at the 12th, 14th, 15th and seventh.
Mickelson, winner of last year's title at Baltusrol, made a red-hot start on a calm, clear morning. The American left-hander birdied his first two holes but bogeyed the par-three second before picking up further shots at the fifth and seventh.
Ogilvy, who won his first major by a stroke at Winged Foot after benefiting from late collapses by Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie, experienced a roller-coaster round. The 29-year-old mixed seven birdies with two double-bogeys and one bogey.
Among the late starters, twice winner Vijay Singh of Fiji faced a late tee-off from the first, in the company of past champions John Daly and Jeff Sluman of the U.S.
Before the start of the year's final major, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman led a memorial service for Darren Clarke's wife Heather, who died of cancer on Sunday.
