Spieth set for early PGA charge at wet Quail Hollow

Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen closed with a 27-foot birdie putt Thursday to seize a one-stroke lead at the PGA Championship while Jordan Spieth stumbled in launching his career Grand Slam bid.

The 78th-ranked Dane birdied three of the last five holes to fire a four-under-par 67 at Quail Hollow, one stroke ahead of US Open winner Brooks Koepka and his fellow Americans Gary Woodland and Grayson Murray.

"I just felt like I was playing nicely," Olesen said. "The first 15 holes I played really well. I putted very nice."

World number two Spieth, who won his third major title at last month's British Open, struggled with his putter in firing a 72. At 24, he would become the youngest on the career Slam list by winning the Wanamaker Trophy this week.

"Tee to green it was pretty solid," Spieth said. "On the green was the problem. My speed and lines were a little off."

Spieth, who also won the 2015 Masters and US Open, can become only the sixth man to sweep the four current major titles in a career after Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.

Koepka, who captured his first major title in June at Erin Hills, had five birdies and two bogeys, the last at 16 to fall back. He has again peaked at the right time, he said.

"These are the events where you want to play your best," Koepka said of majors. "Sometimes it's a lot simpler than people think. It just comes down to preparation."

World number one Dustin Johnson, in a pack on 70 that included Australia's Jason Day and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, said putting was as tough as he has seen all season.

"It was tough to get the ball close to the hole," he said. "I'm very pleased with that the way the course played."

Olesen, 27, seeks his first major title. His most recent of four career European Tour victories came at last year's Turkish Airlines Open. But he is fighting to keep the excitement and pressure well managed.

Olesen sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the second, missed the green and made bogey at the par-3 sixth, then birdied the par-5 seventh by two-putting from 60 feet and the par-4 eighth on a 15-footer from the fringe.

He birdied the 14th from 12 feet and the par-5 15th after chipping to three feet, then missed the green and took bogey at the par-3 17th only to seize the solo lead with his longest putt of the day.

- 'A little disappointing' -

Spieth, who began on the back nine, birdied the par-5 15th but found a greenside bunker at 16 and missed a 14-foot par putt, then missed 10-foot par putts at the first fifth and par-3 sixth holes. Spieth answered with birdies from three feet at the par-5 seventh and inches from the cup at the par-4 eighth.

"It was a day that should have been a couple under par and ended one-over," Spieth said. "It's a little disappointing but I brought it back with a couple birdies to at least having a chance going forward."

Spieth was in the early feature group with Koepka and the year's other major winner, Spain's Sergio Garcia, the Masters champion.

Murray, a home-state hopeful who struck the opening shot at the year's last major tournament, birdied three of the last six holes.

"I've got to keep putting myself in position to make gains," Murray said. "You can't miss the fairways."

- 'A good turnaround' -

Day, who had four bogeys in the first 12 holes, rallied with two birdies and an eagle in the last five to finish on 70.

"It was a good turnaround," Day said. "It's challenging tee to green but on the greens it's very hard and very fast. If you don't get yourself in position it's hard to make par."

Among afternoon starters, fourth-ranked Rory McIlroy was level par after four holes and South Korean An Byeong-Hun was three-under through five after opening on the back nine with three consecutive birdies.

Northern Ireland's McIlroy, 28, could become only the third player to win five majors before turning 30, joining Nicklaus and Woods. He has two PGA titles and two wins at Quail Hollow in US PGA events.

Source: AFP