PGA 1st round: Scott in charge ... again

Another major and again Adam Scott is showing the way. As Steve Keipert reports, the Masters champion leads after the first round with Jason Day and Marcus Fraser close behind.

It’s a major, so Adam Scott must be in contention.

The Queenslander is tied for the lead with 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk at the close of the first round of the US PGA Championship after both shot five-under par 65s on a softened Oak Hill layout.

Adam Scott pumps his fist after making a long par-save at the 18th hole at the end of the first round of the PGA Championship. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Scott used an outward nine of 30 – which included five straight birdies from the 4th hole – as the catalyst for a mostly precise performance that reinforced his standing as a perennial major-championship contender. Playing with US Open winner Justin Rose and Open champion Phil Mickelson, Masters winner Scott outplayed his fellow 2013 major victors and led Mickelson by eight strokes after as many holes. When Scott took the lead alone at six-under with a birdie at the 14th, it meant the Queenslander had now led outright at some point in every major this year except the US Open.

His quintet of birdies came as a result of pinpoint iron play and assured putting. His swing and stride looked reminiscent of the closing nine at Augusta National in April, which augurs well for the weekend as he attempts to replicate the feat of Jack Nicklaus 50 years ago by capturing the Masters and PGA in one season.

Scott three-putted the 16th for his only bogey of the day and closed with two clutch par saves after missed fairways at 17 and 18 to share the overnight lead with Furyk, who played in the morning wave of players – a benefit Scott will enjoy tomorrow.

In an ominous sign for the rest of the field, Scott opened his post-round press conference by saying: “Probably the best round I've ever had.”

“I just hit really nice shots and didn't leave myself too much work,” he added. “You have to take advantage of that if you are feeling that and I was through the turn there. It was a dream start after kind of a nervous first couple of holes.”

Scott hinted that his round could have been even better and surpassed the course record jointly held by Ben Hogan and Curtis Strange if not for the weather delay that forced the field from the course as Scott was walking to the 11th tee. He agreed the disruption cost him momentum.

“I mean, I was hot when the rain came,” he said. “And to go back out and have 234 (yards), par 3 with your first shot is a little tough. I pulled it.

“Then I just had to go and do the whole settling down thing again like teeing off at the 1st. I was scrambling and not quite in the same rhythm as I was in before the delay. I was going along nicely, I still felt. It's always tough with a rain delay like that when you're playing really well.”

The demon that is the East course at Oak Hill Country Club didn’t emerge on day one as overnight rain led to softer conditions and excellent scoring that saw 35 players break par.

Scott wasn’t the only Australian to fire in the first round. Jason Day was his usual solid self amid the major arena, making four birdies and just one bogey in a tidy 67 to place himself in contention yet again. Joining Day in a tie for fifth was Victoria’s Marcus Fraser, who bogeyed the first two holes but dropped no further shots and took five birdies from the benign Oak Hill layout to card an impressive 67, capped by a 20-foot par save on the 18th green.

Marcus Fraser overcame a slow start to card a 67 and sit two shots behind Scott and Jim Furyk. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

“Yeah, you can't shoot a good score without holing putts,” Fraser said. “I made a couple long ones today and holed out pretty well, as well.

“I’m happy that everything came together for a change and been doing that for a while. It's the first round I've put together for a long time.”

Mickelson’s round was typically volatile. He drove out-of-bounds at the 4th hole to card a double-bogey seven to fall to three over but gathered three birdies between the 9th and 12th to erase that damage and then birdied the 14th to reach red figures. However, Mickelson undid his fine recovery work with a sloppy double-bogey on the 18th to finish with a one-over par 71.

Tiger Woods’ round started promisingly with two birdies on the back nine before he ventured onto the front side and made two card-wrecking sixes, one at the par-5 4th hole and another at the 9th. Like Mickelson hours later, that closing double-bogey turned a potential one-under round into a one-over 71. Both are tied for 50th place.

Jason Day, who is playing with some pain in his right wrist, salutes the crowd on the 18th green after his 67. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Many of golf’s biggest names started quickly at this PGA. Majorless Lee Westwood shot a bogey-free 66 to sit one shot off the lead, while defending champion Rory McIlroy found a little of his old spark to card a one-under 69. Matt Kuchar was one of six players to begin with a 67 to sit two shots behind the leading duo.

Of the five other Australians in the field, expectant father Marc Leishman and Brett Rumford both shot even-par 70s, while Matt Jones and John Senden carded 72s. Geoff Ogilvy finished with a 74.

LEADING SCORES &

SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES (Australian Eastern Standard time)

2nd round time

T1. Adam Scott (Qld) 65 10.35pm (Fri)

T1. Jim Furyk (US) 65 3.55am (Sat)

T3. David Hearn (Can) 66 2.50am (Fri)

T3. Lee Westwood (Eng) 66 9.55pm (Fri)

T5. Robert Garrigus (US) 66 2.35am (Sat)

T5. Paul Casey (Eng) 67 2.45am (Sat)

T5. Matt Kuchar (US) 67 3.30am (Sat)

T5. Marcus Fraser (Vic) 67 3.30am (Sat)

T5. Scott Piercy (US) 67 9.10pm (Fri)