An extremely windy back nine of the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island was conquered by Canadian Corey Conners. While he did so most of the others failed and Conners goes into the first round of the US PGA championships with a two shot lead.
The back nine of this spectacular course measures just under 4000 yards. Holes 10-13 saw the wind playing directly with the players while of course holes 14-18 which turned out to be a golfer’s night mare with gusts of wind at an almost steady speed of 20 mph.
It was Conners day when he played a bogey free nightmare back nine to a 3 under par which included 2 birdies in the last four holes. This enabled Conner to secure a 2 shot lead in his effort to win his first major.
The only other golfer to play the treacherous back nine better than Connor was the evergreen 51 year old Phil Michelson whose score of a 32, a four under enabled him to even out a few bogeys made on the front 9. Mickelson is lying tied at 8th position at a round with to, 2 under for the round,
Australian youngster Cam Davis made a great come back after a triple bogey on whole no 6 and is tied with 5 others for 2nd place. In the 6 tying for 2nd place is also four-time Major Winner Brooks Koepka who started the day with the double bogey.
Keegan Bradley, Viktor Hovland, Aaron Wise and Sam Horsfield also shot 69. Defending champion Collin Morikawa joined a large group with Mickelson at two-under.
When Conners asked he said that “It’s impossible to be stress-free around this golf course,”
“You can’t fall asleep out there on any holes. It’s very challenging. I was fortunate to have a good day. Made it as least stressful as possible on myself.”
Koepka who has battled a knee injury for the last few years whose opening hole was burning way more than any residual pain had very constructive comments to make. When asked he said that “you can’t do that stuff if you want to win. You’ve just got to be more focused,” Koepka said.
He further said that “I don’t know if that’s a lack of not playing or what. It was just stupid. I was able to recover, I guess.
“It’s a major. I’m going to show up. I’m ready to play. I love it when it’s difficult. I think that’s why I do so well in the majors. I just know mentally I can grind it out.”
It was obvious that most could not cope with the wind while of course Connors did. Jordan Spieth’s search for a career grand slam win was not that positive with an opening round score of 73and will have to bounce back with a better 2nd day score. It is very fair to say that a high percentage of some of the stars will find it difficult to get pass the Friday’s round two.
Current World No 1, Dustin Johnson whose opening day score of 76 possibly faces missing the cut. Johnson has been missing cuts consecutively this year and it’s the first time so in his career. At the 2012 Kiawah Championship, Rory McElroy carded a 75 and so did Justin Johnson.
World No.1 Dustin Johnson shot 76 and faces missing consecutive major cuts in the same year for the first time in his career, and 2012 champion at Kiawah Rory McIlroy shot 75 – as did Justin Thomas.
The scoring average hit 74.781 with multiple rounds in the 80s.
Collapses were visible when Australian Matt Jones who was leading at four under with just 4 holes to pay ended the day with five over. Nothing is taken for granted in this game.
