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SPORTS Friday 10 august 2018

Woodland feels at home in Missouri, leads PGA with 64

By DOUG FERGUSON record, and it stopped just rod Lyle, the Australian golf- hard to find. He still hasn’t out putting specialist Phil
AP Golf Writer short. It was one of the few er who died Wednesday. registered a top 10, and he Kenyon, who worked with
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kansas- he missed. On the course, he looked hasn’t contended in any him at Carnoustie, and a
bred Gary Woodland felt Two-time major champion like he was ready to give tournament since winning little more at Akron, trying
right at home in enemy Zach Johnson and Bran- this major business — he the Phoenix Open more not to overload Woodland
territory and delivered his don Stone of South Africa had his third runner-up fin- than six months ago. with too much information.
best performance in a ma- were at 66. ish in a major at the Masters The frustration was in the Then, he switched to an
jor Thursday at the PGA Dustin Johnson reached 5 this year — another try. short game, and Wood- oversized putting grip on
Championship. under until a few wild drives For Woodland, success in land finally had enough at Tuesday, and it all came
Woodland used his power on the back nine cost him. the big events has been the British Open. He sought together.q
to birdie the two par 5s The world’s No. 1 player
on the soft turf of Bellerive, had to settle for a 67, along
and he relied on a new grip with Jason Day, Justin Rose
and new confidence in his and eight other players.
putter for everything else It was more of a struggle
on his way to a 6-under 64 for Tiger Woods, drenched
for a one-shot lead over in so much sweat that he
Rickie Fowler in the open- changed shirts after 12
ing round of the year’s shots — that was only two
final major. Woodland holes and a tee shot. He
recognized close to 100 had to make an 8-foot putt
friends and family among to escape with bogey on
thousands in a gallery that No. 10, and then dumped
withstood the sweltering a wedge into the water for
weather, and his only fault double bogey on No. 11.
was trying too hard. He Woods was 3 over through
made a careless bogey on seven holes, and then
the opening hole, had to clawed his way back to
make a 15-foot par putt at even par for a 70.
No. 5. And then he settled “A lot of things could hap-
down and was on his way. pen. Not a lot them were
“This week is as close positive,” Woods said. “But
to home as I’ve been,” I hung in there and turned
Woodland said. “I snuck it around.”
over here about a month Defending champion Jus-
ago and played the golf tin Thomas let a good start Gary Woodland watches his putt on the 18th green during the first round of the PGA Championship
golf tournament at Bellerive Country Club, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in St. Louis.
course. Really enjoyed the slip away. He didn’t make Associated Press
layout. The turf is very fa- a putt outside a few feet
miliar to me. It’s so hot here over the last 12 holes and
during the summer, so the shot 69. Jordan Spieth, in
greens are soft and slow. his second crack at the ca-
You can be more aggres- reer Grand Slam, opened
sive, which suits my game.” with a double bogey and
Fowler played in the morn- finished two bad swings off
ing, when the greens were the tee that sent him to a
slight smoother, and made 71. The secret was simple:
five birdies over his last 11 Avoid the rough.
holes for a 65. It was an Woodland, who played
important start for Fowler, college basketball for one
who turns 30 this year and year at Washburn as a
already is regarded as freshman before switching
among the best without a to golf at Kansas, is among
major. The closest he has the most powerful, athletic
come to such a trophy is figures in golf. He had 145
celebrating those won by yards to the front on No. 5
his friends. and couldn’t get it to the
“It’s not something I neces- green. “Pretty nasty,” he
sarily worry about,” Fowler said. That’s how it was for
said. “Keep putting our- Woods at the start, when
selves in position, get in his opening tee shot found
contention ... we have the rough and he could
had plenty of runner-ups. only pitch it back to the
Jack (Nicklaus) had a lot of fairway with a creek at bot-
runner-ups. We’ll just keep tom of the hill. That’s why
beating down that door.” Fowler thrived. He missed
Bellerive allowed for low only three fairways and
scoring, provided the ball putted for birdie on all but
stayed in the short grass. two holes.
Woodland had an 18-foot Fowler’s biggest change
birdie attempt on the 18th was the wardrobe, switch-
hole that would have tied ing to a yellow shirt for
the PGA Championship Thursday in memory of Jar-