PGA Championship: Jimmy Walker makes the running with hot start in the New Jersey heat
American ended first day at Baltusrol on five under, one shot clear of Ross Fisher, Martin Kaymer and Emiliano Grillo
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Your support makes all the difference.American Jimmy Walker claimed the lead after the opening round of the US PGA Championship as England's Ross Fisher and Andy Sullivan increased the prospects of a clean sweep for first-time major winners in 2016.
Walker carded six birdies and a solitary bogey in an impressive 65 in sweltering conditions at Baltusrol, with temperatures in the mid 90s forcing tournament officials to water the greens during the afternoon.
Fisher's 66 was his lowest round in any major and left him sharing second place with former champion Martin Kaymer and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, with Sullivan a shot further back in a group which included Open champion Henrik Stenson.
The last year in which all four majors were claimed by first-time winners was 2011, when Charl Schwartzel won the US Masters, Rory McIlroy the US Open, Darren Clarke the Open and Keegan Bradley the US PGA. So far this season, Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Stenson have claimed the game's biggest titles.
Walker, who won five times between October 2013 and March 2015 but has struggled to reproduce such form this season, said: “It's just been real stale and stagnant this year. I haven't been making the 15, 18-footers you need to make to start running up the leaderboard and to have high finishes.
“Winning a major would be huge but there are three days to go.”
Kaymer's 66 was the best score of the afternoon starters as the wind picked up ahead of possible thunderstorms, the former world number one carding five birdies and a single bogey.
“I've been working hard because I wanted to have a good summer and slowly it's paying off,” said Kaymer, who has not won since leading from start to finish in the Players Championship and US Open in 2014.
“The results have been okay but we all want that win and hopefully it can still happen.”
Fisher, whose sole top-10 finish in a major to date came in the 2009 US Open, said: “Everyone is striving to become a major champion and I'm no different. I'm coming here believing my game is good enough to win.
“I've got off to a great start, but I'm not going to sit back on that. There's still a long, long way to go but this is where you want to be. I missed the Masters and the US Open this year. I got to experience the Open, but only for two days.”
Sullivan has finished 12th, sixth and fifth in his last three events and completed his 67 with three birdies in the last four holes.
“I'm buzzing with that start,” the former supermarket worker from Nuneaton said. “I've been playing really well leading up to the tournament, so it's just nice to keep the form and momentum going.
“It was a bit of a struggle at times in the heat, especially down the stretch there, so I'm happy to get finished and enjoy some nice air conditioning.
“It was seriously hot and humid even first thing this morning, so I was seriously melting out there. But I'd take this over the cold and wet we had at the Open any day, so I won't complain.”
Defending champion Jason Day was three shots off the lead after returning a 68 despite having just one practice round, but playing partner Rory McIlroy struggled to a 74 which included 35 putts and returned to the course at 6.15pm for practice under the watchful eye of coach Michael Bannon.
The final member of the marquee group, Open runner-up Phil Mickelson, recovered from four over par after 11 holes with three late birdies to return a 71, but US Open champion Dustin Johnson struggled to a 77.
“I was excited to play and compete again and not have to have a month off for preparation,” said Mickelson, who won his second major title the last time Baltusrol staged the US PGA in 2005. “Unfortunately, I don't do well not playing the week before and you kind of saw it today. I hit terrible shots the first 11 holes.
“The game has been very easy and the first 11 holes was very hard. I played really well the last seven holes to get back in it and I'm pleased with that.”
Masters champion Danny Willett finished one over par, a shot behind two-time major winner Jordan Spieth. England's Andrew Johnston, who has become a cult figure better known by his nickname 'Beef,' also shot 70.
PA
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