Scott fails, Pampling performs

August 08, 2008
ROD Pampling made a brilliant birdie at the final hole to edge within two strokes of the first round lead at the US PGA Championship.

The Queenslander struck a five-iron to inside three metres to finish in style at the tough par-four 18th, carding an even-par 70 at Oakland Hills.

"It was a good, solid day. I got off to a good start at the first hole, chipped it in (for birdie)," said Pampling, who heads the Australian contingent after a day in which 18 players failed to complete the round due to a weather delay.

Swede Robert Karlsson and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh are the clubhouse leaders on two-under 68, while Argentine Andres Romero is also two under with two holes left.

Pampling is best of the Australians, with Richard Green, Aaron Baddeley, Steve Elkington and Brendan Jones also well placed on 71, and Scott Strange one-over after 16 holes.

Geoff Ogilvy shot 73, but Adam Scott's hopes all but disappeared with a 77 that left him needing an outstanding second round just to make the cut.

Scott double-bogeyed the difficult par-three ninth to go four-over at the turn, and never recovered on the back nine.

He cut a forlorn figure as he walked alone to his car, caddie Tony Navarro and coach Butch Harmon trailing behind.

Pampling has been quiet the past few weeks, missing the cut at the British Open and finishing a long way back at last week's tournament in Ohio, but he was very happy with his swing in round one.

Green, meanwhile, made a nightmare start with a bogey at the first hole, where he found a fairway bunker and caught the lip with his second shot, but he buckled down to shoot a very respectable score.

"It was a good round, considering the start," he said.

"My emotions weren't exactly on the happy side, so it was important that I made a birdie at the second hole and steadied the ship.

"Every part of my game was really good, apart from the first hole. I hit some great shots through the closing holes."

At the 18th, Green had 200 metres to the hole with his second shot.

He hit a perfect two-iron that landed on the front of the green, but trickled all the way through to the back rough.

"I couldn't have hit a better shot," he said. "I drilled it."

Meanwhile, co-leader Singh shrugged of an ankle injury to tie for the lead.

Singh has an inflamed tendon in his right ankle, an injury he suffered seven weeks ago, but it hasn't stopped him from winning twice since then - once in Europe and once in Japan.

"It's worked for me pretty good, touch wood," said Singh, whose father Milkha was one of India's greatest runners.

Known as the 'The Flying Sikh', he finished fourth in the 400 metres final at the 1960 Olympic Games.

His son made a flying start.



All the scores from the PGA Championship
MAJOR: U.S PGA Championship
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Robert Karlsson SWE F -2 68 68
T1 Jeev Milkha Singh IND F -2 68 68
T1 Andres Romero ARG 15 -2 0
T4 Sergio Garcia ESP F -1 69 69
T4 Ken Duke USA F -1 69 69
T4 Sean O'Hair USA F -1 69 69
T4 Billy Mayfair USA F -1 69 69
T8 Brian Gay USA F E 70 70
T8 Mark Calcavecchia USA F E 70 70
T8 Michael Allen USA F E 70 70