Swede opens one-shot lead after low-scoring opening day
Carl Pettersson made the most of some benign early conditions to take a one-shot lead after the opening round of the USPGA Championship at Kiawah Island.
The Swede, who recently took out dual American citizenship, carded a flawless round of 66 at The Ocean Course, getting his score in before the winds increased late in the day.
Pettersson made a flying start with birdies at the first and second and he was four-under by the turn, adding further birdies at 10 and 16 in a round he would love to repeat on Friday.
For a long time it looked like 66 might only be good enough for a distant second place with red-hot Dutchman Joost Luiten leaving scorch marks on the fairway.
Luiten started at the 10th with a birdie and when he eagled the long 16th he was five-under and heading for a career highlight.
Late slump for Luiten
Things got even better with three more birdies, but from eight-under after 14 his round fell apart, bogeys coming at each of the final four holes in what turned into a disappointing 68.
Rory McIlroy also made the most of the early weather to shoot a five-under 67 - like Pettersson it was bogey-free - and he was joined on that score by big-hitting American Gary Woodland, Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and another Swede Alex Noren.
Noren proved best of the later starters, just ahead of Graeme McDowell, who had seven birdies in a topsy-turvy 68 to join a group that includes defending champion Keegan Bradley and luckless Open runner-up Adam Scott.
The resurgent Tiger Woods was in a positive mood after opening with a 69, the same score as Justin Rose and Miguel Angel Jimenez, but other European stars struggled badly with 2010 champion Martin Kaymer shooting 79, the same score as Paul Casey whose slump shows no sign of ending.
