Charl Schwartzel has plenty of work to do after opening his PGA Championship with a disappointing 74 at Quail Hollow on Thursday, writes WADE PRETORIUS.
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Schwartzel has traditionally struggled at the year’s final Major – with no top 10s in his 11 appearances to date – and those struggles continued during his first round.
With only a single start before at the renovated venue (a missed cut), he did bring some form (T24 last week, T12 two weeks ago) into the week looking to reverse the history books, but began with three bogeys in his opening four holes before getting one back on the 15th. He navigated the Green Mile, but made double on the third hole to tumble down the leaderboard.
His second and final birdie on the seventh helped him claw himself back to a somewhat respectable score, with the slick and sloping greens testing the world’s best all day.
Playing in his second Major, Dylan Frittelli was well-placed after at one-under-par after his second birdie of the day at the 10th hole. The Lyoness Open winner made three pars before a rocky patch from the 15th, which included two bogeys, a double drop and a birdie as he closed with a par to finish two-over.
Frittelli has the likes of Danny Willett, Lee Westwood and Justin Thomas for company on 73 after 18 holes.
Brandon Stone had a day to forget as he failed to make one birdie in his bogey-filled 79.
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Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
