Matsuyama off to hot start at PGA Championship

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama seized the initiative at the PGA Championship on Thursday, moving atop the leaderboard at four-under par as the earliest starters made the turn in the first round.

Matsuyama, playing in the second group off the 10th tee at Whistling Straits, birdied the par-five 11th, the par-four 14th, the par-five 16th and the par-four 18th to make the turn four-under, with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, England's Tyrrell Hatton and American Harris English all at three-under.

The final major of the year got underway in perfect conditions, with light breezes greeting the morning starters on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Winds gusting up to 25 mph (40.23 Km/h) were forecast for the afternoon.

Former world number one Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion trying to end a career-first streak of two straight missed cuts at major championships, was one-over through five holes after a bogey at the par-four 14th.

The marquee group of the day, featuring world number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy, Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth and British Open winner Zach Johnson, was due to tee off at 1:20 pm (18:20 GMT).
Source: AFP