Major winners locked together

14 April 2012

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson ended honours even in the opening round of the US PGA Championship in Chicago - but both now have some catching up to do.

The world number one and two, clashing in a major for only the third time in their careers, both returned three under par 69s at Medinah Country Club, as did playing partner Geoff Ogilvy.

But the three men, who have won six of the last seven majors between them, trailed early pacesetter Lucas Glover - one of the many Americans hoping to grab a Ryder Cup spot in this their final counting event - by three.

Luke Donald, wearing black in memory of Darren Clarke's wife Heather, was only one off the lead with one to play, but bogeyed his last hole for a 68.

Lee Westwood, whose wife was attending the funeral in Northern Ireland as he teed off, made a good start too. He led at four under for a while, but he also dropped a shot at the ninth and so was in the group on 69.

Padraig Harrington, who is donating his prize money this week to breast cancer research, was two under after 13 holes, but followed bogeys on the next two with a triple bogey seven and finished with a bitterly disappointing 75.

Five strokes worse than that was last year's joint runner-up Thomas Bjorn, another dressed in black and very emotional at the prayer service for Heather Clarke led by American Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman before play got underway.

Woods and Mickelson inevitably drew most of the crowd and it was Mickelson, the defending champion and Masters champion, who drew most of the early applause.

Open champion Woods, winner at Medinah in 1999, hooked his opening drive and hit a tree. He had to lay up on the par five as a result, but then sent his 140-yard approach over the green and failed to get up and down.

While a bogey six went on his card Mickelson smashed a 260-yard wood onto the green from the edge of the rough and two-putted for birdie, then added another from five feet on the next. Having given his rival a three shot start Woods would probably have taken being on level terms at the end of the day and that was what happened.

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