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Robert Karlsson and Jeev Milkha Singh tied for lead after opening day of USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club

Posted by under Latest Golf News, Mens Pro Golf, The Four Majors, USPGA Golf Championship

Sweden’s Robert Karlsson (pictured below) and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh were tied for the lead at the conclusion of the first round of the US PGA Championship after posting two under scores of 68.

Karlsson, is the only player to have finished in the top ten of all three Majors so far this year.

Karlsson and Singh held a one stroke lead over Romero, Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Ameicans Ken Duke, Billy Mayfair and Sean O’Hair as the only players under par after the first round.

Eight players were starting their second rounds at level par, including World Number Two Phil Mickelson, the 2005 Champion of this event, 2007 US Open champion Angel Cabrera and Anthony Kim, the young American with two US PGA Tour wins to his name this year.

Open Champion Padraig Harrington is in close contention with a one over par 71 that kept him in touch with the leaders.

Rod Pampling was the best of the Australasian contingent, sitting in a group of players tied for eighth place two shots off the lead at even-par. Compatriots Aaron Baddeley, Richard Green, Brendan Jones and Steve Elkington are one stroke further back at one-over.

Karlsson and Garcia are part of a strong and much-hyped European contingent at Oakland Hills, bidding to break a winless streak dating back to Tommy Armour of Scotland in 1930.

Hopes that the 78-year drought can end this weekend have been boosted by the fact that the par-70, 7,395-yard course near Detroit played host to Europe’s landslide victory over the United States in the 2004 Ryder Cup.

Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie shot a 76 and Lee Westwood, who tied for second at last weekend’s WGC -Bridgestone Invitational, endured a nightmare opening day with a first-round 77.

Anthony Kim, a two-time PGA Tour winner this year in his second season, returned from a disappointing Bridgestone Invitational to card a level-par 70.