Intro:

Lee Westwood holed nine birdies atop a double bogey at the first hole for a share of the first-round lead with Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer after the first round of the US PGA Championship on Thursday (7th August).

Script:

The 2014 PGA Championship got underway on Thursday at the Valhalla Golf Club.

England's Lee Westwood was out on the course early and set the bar for the field.

The Englishman closed his opening 18 with five birdies in a six-hole span to sign a six-under 65, his lowest round ever at the PGA.

The day ended with the 41 year old tied top the leaderboard with Americans Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer. Chappell holed a bunker shot from short of the green on the par-five 10th hole for one of the six birdies on his clean card.

Palmer sank five birdies over his first nine holes to make the turn at five under. Birdies on Nos. 5 and 7 gave him sole possession of the lead but a bogey on eight left him tied with Chappell and Westwood.

Days after withdrawing from the WGC due to back pain, Tiger Woods looked physically fine as he made his way around Valhalla for his opening round. He finished nine shots behind the leaders.

McIlroy's day was far wilder. The Open Championship winner made the turn at three under par but lost all three strokes with a double and a bogey on 10 and 11. He then turned things around dramatically by birdying the next four holes in a row before adding a final stroke on 18 to sign a five-under 66.