Scott, Furyk vault into first-round lead
Print Edition
With every major, Adam Scott is making a convincing case that he isn’t satisfied with just a green jacket.
Scott ran off five straight birdies early in his round at a soft and vulnerable Oak Hill, and finished with a 15-foot par for a 5-under 65 that gave him a share of the lead on Thursday with Jim Furyk in the PGA Championship in Rochester, New York.
Scott finally became a major champion at Augusta National in April when he won a playoff at the Masters. Just three weeks ago, he had the lead on the back nine at Muirfield in the British Open until he made four bogeys to fall back. In the last major of the year, Scott at times looked unstoppable.
His five straight birdies quickly put him atop the leaderboard with Furyk, and after a 71-minute delay when storms moved into the area, Scott added a sixth birdie on the par-3 15th to reach 6 under. He was on pace to tie the major championship record at Oak Hill until a three-putt bogey on the 16th.
“Just got on a bit of a roll and hit a few shots close,” Scott said. “I didn’t have too much putting to do. You’ve got to take advantage when it happens, because it doesn’t happen too much in the majors. Nothing to complain about in 65.”
David Hearn of Canada, an alternate until a week ago, had a 66 in the morning. Also at 66 was Lee Westwood, who had his best score ever in the PGA and offered evidence there was no hangover from losing last month’s British Open.
A resurgent Paul Casey was in the group at 67. US Open champion Justin Rose, British Open runner-up Henrik Stenson and Miguel Angel Jimenez were among 11 players at 68.
Even Rory McIlroy got in on the act. The defending champion, at the end of a major season that has been a major disappointment, came out firing with three birdies on the opening four holes and made the turn in 32 until back-to-back bogeys. He wound up with a 69.
Tiger Woods made only two birdies and his round fell apart with a bogey on the fourth and a double bogey on his final hole for a 71.
“I’m still right there,” said Woods. “I’m only six back and we have got a long way to go.”
British Open champion Phil Mickelson also shot a 71.
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