Springfield, New Jersey - First-round play at the US PGA Championship got under way on Thursday, with golfers vying to secure the fourth and final major of the season.
The sun was shining and the field was looking at favorable playing conditions at Baltusrol Golf Club. The event comes 11 days after Henrik Stenson of Sweden won the British Open Championship.
Stenson will play in the tournament's traditional threesome featuring this season's three major winners thus far, alongside Masters champion Danny Willett of England and US Open champion Dustin Johnson of the United States.
But much of the attention will likely be focused on the group featuring former PGA champions Jason Day (2015), Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland (2012, 2014) and Phil Mickelson of the United States.
Mickelson won his lone PGA Championship title in 2005 when the Baltusrol course set on the outskirts of New York City hosted the event for the first time.
Day admits he is “running on empty” as he prepares to keep hold of the Wannamaker trophy with the Australian managing a single practice round on Wednesday after having to take his wife to hospital late Tuesday.
Another group to follow includes twice Masters champion Bubba Watson and fellow American Jordan Spieth, who has failed to win another major since triumphing at the Masters and US Open last year. Sergio Garcia of Spain, who completes the threesome, remains one of the top players without a major title to his name.
The 7,428-yard, par-70 Baltusrol course favours long, accurate hitters on a course featuring tough rough and a litany of bunkers worth avoiding.
Golf's return to the Olympic program for the first time since 1904 for August's Rio Games forced the event to be pushed forward. The last time the PGA Championship was played in July was in 1968. – DPA