Steady start for Shubhankar, Lahiri at PGA Championship

India's Shubhankar Sharma shot his first sub-par round at a Major as he compiled a one-under 69 to lie tied 33rd after the first round of the 100th PGA Championship here.

While Sharma, playing his fourth Major of the year, had three birdies against two bogeys in his 69, his senior colleague Anirban Lahiri shot even par 70, despite five birdies, to lie tied 48th.

Lahiri had just two pars in his first nine, which was the back stretch of the Bellerive Country Club.

In all he had five birdies and five bogeys. Four of the five birdies came in his first nine, while he had three bogeys on back nine and two on front nine.

The long 38-foot putt for birdie on the ninth, his closing hole, was a big consolation as Lahiri finished at even par 70 to lie alongside Tiger Woods (70).

Woods, a four-time winner of the PGA Championship, got off to a slow start with a bogey and double bogey on his first two holes, but he recovered to shoot a 70 and is tied for 48th.

Gary Woodland (64) and Rickie Fowler (65) -- looking for their first win in a major championship -- took a big first step in that direction after setting the early pace.

"It feels great when you start with an under par round and overall I was happy with my play," Sharma said.

On him being 2-under and finishing with a bogey, he added, "You are never happy finishing with a bogey, but a 69 did please me."
"This course suits my eye, not only design, but also weather, hot and sticky, like we have back home. The grass is also like that. All in all it suits me and that's why I played well."
"I am looking forward to going out early and get the first use of the greens. Today, being the second last group was tough. There was a lot of wear and tear on the greens, but that was expected."