Karlsson, India's Singh lead weather-hit PGA
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Robert Karlsson blasts out of bunker trouble on the 13th at Oakland Hills. (AFP: Stan Honda)
Robert Karlsson recovered from an early double-bogey to grab a share of the lead with India's Jeev Milka Singh after a weather-hit opening round at the US PGA Championship this morning.
The towering Swede took advantage of ideal morning conditions to card a 2-under-par 68 at Oakland Hills Country Club and end the day level with Singh, who shrugged off an ankle problem in an equally solid round.
Rod Pampling was the best placed Australia after an even round 70, while Richard Green, Aaron Baddeley, Steve Elkington and Brendan Jones finished a shot further back.
Geoff Ogilvy finished with a 73 but Adam Scott's weekend is destined for an early finish carding a horror 77 with five bogeys and one double-bogey.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Americans Sean O'Hair, Billy Mayfair and Ken Duke opened with 69s, while Phil Mickelson, tournament favourite in the absence of the injured Tiger Woods, overcame a bogey-bogey start to card draw equal with Pampling.
Among the day's late starters, British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and South African world number five Ernie Els returned matching 71s but twice winner Vijay Singh bogeyed the last two holes for a 76.
Best of the late starters yet to complete the opening round was Argentina's Andres Romero who was 2-under with two holes to play.
Eighteen players were still out on the course when play was suspended for the day in fading light, following a delay of one hour 25 minutes late in the afternoon due to the threat of lightning.
Karlsson, the only player to have posted top-10 finishes in the first three majors this year, was delighted after rattling in six birdies in 10 holes from the par-five second after double-bogeying the first.
However, the seven times European Tour winner was wary of looking too far ahead.
"Still three rounds to go and you could be eight over in a hurry," Karlsson said.
"I've had good rounds before and finished badly so it's so important to learn from your mistakes and just keep going."
- Reuters
