Garrigus makes flying start

Robert Garrigus has got off to a great start
8 August 2013

American Robert Garrigus made a flying start to the 95th US PGA Championship as the early starters looked to take advantage of a rain-softened Oak Hill.

Overnight rain had cleared in time to leave ideal scoring conditions and Garrigus was making the most of his opportunity with three birdies in his first four holes.

Starting in the second group out from the 10th, Garrigus opened with a par but then picked up shots at the 11th, 12th and 13th to reach three under par, one shot clear of compatriot Luke Guthrie and Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita.

Ireland's Shane Lowry was in the opening group from the first and saved par there from 10ft after charging his birdie putt past the hole.

A superb approach to five feet set up a birdie on the second but Lowry's tee shot to the par-three third came up just short of the green and, despite the damp conditions, rolled 20 yards down the slope.

From there the two-time European Tour winner pitched to six feet but was unable to save par and dropped back to level.

Playing partner Rob Labritz, who struck the opening tee shot at 7:10am, was propping up the field on five over after two double bogeys and a bogey in his first five holes.

Club professional Labritz, who holed out from 95 yards for a birdie to secure his place at Oak Hill in a qualifying play-off, saw his approach to the first plug in a greenside bunker and then was only able to move his second shot on the next around 50 yards from the heavy rough.

Tiger Woods, seeking a 15th major title and his first since the 2008 US Open, was also among the early starters and began with two scrambled pars on the 10th and 11th.

Woods, fresh from winning his eighth WGC Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday by seven shots, holed from eight feet for par on the 10th after charging a long-range birdie attempt past the hole.

And the world number one then missed the green on the par-three 11th but chipped to within three feet of the flag to remain level par, three behind Garrigus who had parred the 14th, 15th and 16th.

Hunter Mahan, who withdrew from the Canadian Open last month while leading the tournament to attend the birth of his first child, was one behind after birdies at the 13th and 14th, with Rickie Fowler also two under after four holes.

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