TIGER WOODS FINDS himself near the top of the leaderboard on day one of the PGA Championship on -2 through 10 holes but it is David Hearn and Robert Garrigus who shared the early lead.
Canada’s Hearn was on four-under par after 12 holes with American Garrigus on the same score with only four holes remaining of his opening round in the year’s final major tournament at Oak Hill Country Club.
Jim Furyk stands alone in third on three-under with a host of golfers at two-under including Woods, Hunter Mahan and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Woods, seeking his first major title since the 2008 US Open, began on the back nine and sank a 10-foot par putt at the 10th then went up and down at the par-3 11th after finding the greenside rough.
Woods birdied the par-5 13th and sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th to stand two-under. He found the greenside rough at 17 but holed a five-foot par putt and at 18 he went into a greenside bunker but blasted out to four feet and made his par putt.
Hearn opened with a bogey but responded with birdies at the second, the par-5 fourth and the par-3 sixth holes and seized the lead with a birdie-birdie start to the back nine.
Garrigus, a back-nine starter, led early after birdies at the 11th, 12th and par-5 13th holes. After stumbling with a birdie at the 18th, he answered with a birdie at the second and par-5 fourth to reach four-under.
Graeme McDowell is the best of the Irish, +1 after 12 holes with Shane Lowry on +2 with two holes to play.
Padraig Harrington has recovered from a run three bogies and a double bogey in five holes but still sits at +4 with seven to play.
Rory McIlroy, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke are among those due to tee off later this afternoon.
Additional reporting by AFP.
