Anirban Lahiri grinded it out for a one-over 72 on a warm and muggy opening day to give himself a decent chance of making the halfway cut at the 96th PGA Championships golf.
The 27-year-old Bangalorean, who drove the ball well and found more than half the fairways missed a lot of greens in regulation and putted less than satisfactorily.
Lahiri was tied 79th after first round and would need a sub-par round to make sure he stays on for weekend action at the Valhalla Golf Club which is playing to 7,458 yards but that was counter balanced with the somewhat soft and receptive greens.
Lahiri, despite struggling on the greens, scrambled well to make pars, of which he had 16. After starting on the tenth, his big mistake of the day came on the 16th, where he double bogeyed and his lone birdie of the day came on the seventh, where he made up for a terrible pitch which he left short with a fine putt.
"It was a struggle out there. I just could not get my putts to fall. I was leaving them short and I didn't have a great day with the irons. Having said that I am happy that I held things together for a 72. I didn't allow frustration or disappointment to get the better of me," said Lahiri.
Former World No.1 Lee Westwood, who is still searching for his first Major, carded six-under 66 and he shared the lead with two Americans, Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer.
Westwood birdied five of his last six holes and moved into shared lead. Westwood had nine birdies, one bogey and one double bogey in his 65.
Tiger Woods, a four-time PGA Championships winner, who made a late decision to tee up, struggled to a two-over 73 and he could well miss the cut.
Rory McIlroy, the British Open winner and hot favourite after winning last weeks WGC-Bridgestone, put himself in a good position with a 66 that had eight birdies, besides a double bogey on 10th and a bogey on 11th.
