The Latest: Tringale takes early lead at PGA Championship
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — The Latest on the PGA Championship, golf’s second major of the year (all times local):
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9:30 a.m.
Cameron Tringale is seeking his first win on the PGA Tour and is off to a strong start at the Ocean Course.
Tringale had three birdies on his opening nine holes at the PGA Championship and was a stroke ahead of four players, including Rickie Fowler and Louis Oosthuizen. He birdied the sixth and seventh holes to move to 3-under par.
Tringale is playing his seventh PGA Championship. He has never finished better than 72nd.
Rory McIlroy, who won the PGA on this course in 2012, got off to a bumpy start with an opening bogey on the 10th hole. But he bounced back with birdies on the next two holes.
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7:30 a.m.
Francesco Molinari has withdrawn from the PGA Championship.
The 2018 British Open champion cited a back injury in pulling out of the championship Thursday morning.
He was replaced in the field by first alternate Brandon Hagy, who has been practicing on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island this week.
Molinari has fallen to 144th in the world. If no one else withdraws, the PGA Championship will have 99 of the top 100, matching the record for most players from the top 100.
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7 a.m.
South Carolina native Patrick Rada found the middle of the fairway with the opening tee shot in the PGA Championship.
It was a gorgeous morning on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island with a little trepidation in the air. The flags along the practice range already were flapping even as the sun was beginning its climb over the Atlantic.
The wind is everything at Kiawah Island and it has been strong enough to get everyone’s attention this week. Even the power players have been using long irons, hybrids and even fairway metals into par 4s and par 3s.
Rada is the head PGA professional at MacArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida. He likely was chosen to hit the first tee shot given his South Carolina roots.
Among those playing in the morning were Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau. McIlroy won at 13-under 275 in 2012 the other time the PGA Championship was at Kiawah.
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