Karlsson, Jeev Milka Singh share early PGA lead
Published 1:19 pm Thursday, August 7, 2008
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — With two-time defending champion Tiger Woods at home recuperating from knee surgery, everyone expected a wide-open PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.
The early returns certainly bear that out.
Jim Furyk, Sean O’Hair, Jeev Milkha Singh, Anthony Kim and Robert Karlsson were among those who had the lead or a share of it Thursday morning, with prominent names such as Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson not far behind.
Among the early finishers, Singh and Karlsson shared the lead in the clubhouse at 2-under-par 68. O’Hair was still on the course at 2 under.
Garcia’s 69 had him a shot behind the co-leaders, while Mickelson recovered from a shaky start — teeing off at No. 10 he bogeyed his first two holes — and was at 1 under through 16 holes.
American Ken Duke joined Garcia in the clubhouse at 1 under.
Karlsson, the 6-foot-5 Swede who is the only player to finish in the top 10 of the year’s first three majors, stole most of the early thunder by following an opening double-bogey with three straight birdies to eventually get to 4 under that had him in front by two strokes. But two bogeys on the back nine dropped him into a tie with first Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open winner, then O’Hair and finally Singh.
“The greens are way firmer, way firmer. They were a lot more difficult today,” Karlsson said of the treacherous putting surfaces at the Donald Ross-designed layout in suburban Detroit. “There’s not going to be many scores under par. This is a tough golf course, but it’s set up perfect.”
Singh, the son of an Olympic runner and the first native of India to gain a European Tour card, is playing in just his second PGA Championship. He missed the cut a year ago at Southern Hills.
Singh, no relation to three-time major champion Vijay Singh, was playing on an injured ankle.
“I haven’t been able to practice in the last seven weeks,” he said. “Even this week, I only played nine holes on Tuesday and nine yesterday.”
O’Hair, playing in just his fourth PGA Championship, was never over par. He birdied two early holes and matched a bogey at No. 7 with a birdie on the 11th hole to get to 2 under through 15 holes.
Kim and Furyk both climbed into a tie for the lead, only to fall back with late bogeys. Furyk bogeyed his final three holes to finish at 1 over. Kim got to 2 under but closed with two bogeys and had a 70.
