Weather Halts McIlroy PGA Charge

Rory McIlroy and Vijay Singh are tied for the lead in the third round of the PGA Championship, which is being delayed because of storms in the area. 

McIlroy birdied five of his first eight holes Saturday before a bogey on No. 9 dropped him back to 6-under par, even with Singh. 

Tiger Woods entered the day sharing the lead, but was 3 over through seven to fall five strokes off the pace. 

Adam Scott is second, a stroke behind the leaders. Carl Pettersson is another shot back. 

McIlroy saved par on the third hole after his tee shot became stuck in a tree, and aside from that adventure, he wasn't having much trouble with Kiawah Island's Ocean Course early on. 

McIlroy had quite a start to his third round: Birdie, birdie, ball in tree. 

Moments later, he was tied for the lead. 

McIlroy saved par on the third hole after his tee shot became stuck in a tree, and aside from that adventure, he wasn't having much trouble with Kiawah Island's Ocean Course early on. 

After two birdies to start, McIlroy's tee shot on No. 3 somehow got lodged in the thick branch of a tree in the middle of the fairway. After searching for a bit, McIlroy realized where his ball was. He pulled it out, took a drop -- and got up and down for par, sinking a 6-foot putt. 

The windy second round Friday was the toughest at the PGA Championship since the tournament switched to stroke play, with 41 players failing to break 80. A battered group of golf's top players found milder conditions Saturday, which was hot and clear. The course was set up at 7,451 yards, the shortest it's been so far. 

Woods entered the day with a share of the lead, but Singh improved to 5 under with a birdie on the par-4 first hole. 

Woods, trying for his 15th major championship and first since 2008, missed the fairway with his first drive, and his ball nestled down in the rough to the left. He was able to reach the green with his next shot, though, and settled for par after missing a 10-foot birdie putt. 

On the third hole, Woods missed a 4-foot birdie putt, and he made a mess of the fourth, twice hitting into the gallery en route to a bogey. 

Elsewhere, players were taking advantage of the more favorable conditions. Steve Stricker and Jimmy Walker shot 5-under 67s -- two strokes better than anyone managed in the second round. Stricker moved to 2 under, a stroke ahead of Walker. 

Bo Van Pelt was 4 under through 15 holes and was three back of the lead. 

After a fairly tame first round, the wind arrived in earnest Friday, when there were more rounds in the 90s (two) than in the 60s. Singh managed a 69 in the second round, but he was an exception. 

Woods had a share of the lead at the U.S. Open this summer until rounds of 75-73 plunged him into a tie for 21st.

McDowell Enjoys Happy Kiawah Day

Graeme McDowell was left content after a whirlwind first day at the US PGA Championship, as the Northern Irishman made seven birdies and three bogeys en route to a four under par 68 at Kiawah Island.

Playing in the more testing afternoon conditions in South Carolina when the wind was at its strongest, the 2010 US Open Champion made three birdies and two bogeys over the first nine holes to reach the turn one under par, before more peaks and troughs coming home in the form of a birdie-bogey-birdie start to the back nine.

McDowell then made a superb up-and-down on the par three 14th after dragging his tee shot left of the green, a par save that he credited with “kick starting” a final few holes in which he made birdies at the 15th and long 16th and put himself in position for further makeable birdie opportunities at the closing two holes.

With his 68 leaving him just two shots shy of first round leader Carl Pettersson, the Northern Irishman was pleased to get a good start on the Ocean Course.

“It was a good round of golf, obviously,” said McDowell. “Apart from a couple of sloppy sixes that I made out there I am generally very happy with my ball striking today.

“I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of solid iron shots and in this strengthening breeze as the afternoon went on there was still a score out there if you could control the ball well. I’m very happy with that, it’s a good start.”

Indeed, while it was almost a flat calm when play got underway at 0720 on Thursday morning, there were not insignificant gusts to contend with for the later starters.

“I know the guys got nine fairly calm holes this morning, but the breeze came up this afternoon and even though it made it a decent test the golf course remained fairly playable,” said McDowell.

“Hopefully we can get out there tomorrow morning and perhaps we can play it in slightly more benign conditions.”

Pete Dye-designed golf courses are known for their quirkiness and unique challenges, and McDowell enjoyed figuring out the Ocean Course’s 7,676-yard layout on day one of the season’s final Major.

He reflected: “The golf course is fairly receptive, so if you can drive the ball well it gives you a chance to be fairly aggressive with your iron shots. And I really was good on the greens today, I read them well.

“I think one of the secrets to playing this golf course is being aggressive with the par fives and playing the par threes well. There really is a nice balance of par fours too, some tough ones and some easy ones, but the threes and the fives are key.”

Having been there and done that before so memorably at the US Open Championship at Pebble Beach in 2010, McDowell is well-placed to muse on what counts in the opening rounds of the four Majors.

“You know, in these Major Championships, there's no doubt getting in contention early and getting the juices flowing is key, so it’s nice to have had a solid start.”

McIlroy Makes Fast PGA Start

Rory McIlroy got off to a dream start at the USPGA Championships after hitting a superb five under par 67.

The Northern Irishman took advantage of the dry, boiling conditions at Kiawah Island to produce a bogey-free round, and even got a helping hand off a spectator.

In last month's Open at Royal Lytham McIlroy's hopes of a second major title nosedived after he rebounded off a teenager's head out of bounds late on the first day.

On this occasion he hit a lady on the hip after badly pulling his tee shot to the dangerous short 17th - his eighth - but it came back into a nice lie in the sand only 25 feet from the flag, from which he saved par.

"It's becoming a habit hitting people at majors, so I will try not to do that again," he said.

"I think that's my first bogey-free round in a while and it was a great way to start.

"I'm pretty comfortable on the course and only played nine holes on Monday and nine on Tuesday. I didn't feel I needed to play more."

Dutchman Joost Luiten was clear of the field after an eagle and six birdies, but he bogeyed his last four holes and had to settle for a 68.

Tiger Woods kept himself in the hunt with a 69, Ian Poulter returned a 70.

But there was disappointment for Lee Westwood and Paul Casey, who signed for 75 and 79 respectively.

Back Tees Class at Adare Manor

Play the Irish Open / JP McManus Pro Am course from the very back tees this Sunday or test yourself in our Open Seniors Day (50+), Teams of Two Challenge or Open Singles all being played between the 12th and 17th of August. 

Ireland’s number one Parkland Course at Adare Manor Hotel is delighted to welcome GUI players to Adare for our Summer Open Week, to book tee times or for any enquiries contact (061) 605274 or golf@adaremanor.com 

Details also available on our Facebook page - Adare Golf Club Ireland. 

Also, enjoy the final round of the USPGA Championship in our Clubhouse after golf on Sunday, meals also available throughout the week in the Clubhouse.

Please note staff at Adare Golf Club cannot be held responsible for extra wear and tear that may occur in players’ fairway woods / utility clubs while playing in the Back Tees Classic… 

Harrington Happy With Kiawah Return

Fifteen years ago a young Padraig Harrington, in only his second full season as a professional, teamed up with Paul McGinley at Kiawah Island and gave Ireland their first victory in golf's World Cup since 1958.

But now Harrington has returned to the South Carolina course as a three-time major winner and as a 40-year-old almost certainly in need of something special if next month is to see him win a seventh Ryder Cup cap.

Asked if he was able to put the Ryder Cup to one side this week and just focus on the major he said: "You know, I have to. I'm delighted I'm playing so well tee to green. The game's been excellent, well under control - that's what I've got to concentrate on."

The Dubliner plays the first two rounds of the USPGA Championship with two other former winners, Phil Mickelson and American Ryder Cup captain Davis Love. However, while Mickelson is keen to hold on to what he has - the eighth and last automatic cup spot in this the last week of their race - Harrington has ground to make up. Lots of it.

Only another victory in the final major of the season would be sure to elevate Harrington into a position to qualify for Jose Maria Olazabal's side. His only other route into the team would be as a wild card at the end of the month.

He got one from Colin Montgomerie two years ago but Olazabal, with whom Harrington was involved in controversy over the repairing of a pitch mark at the 2003 Seve Trophy in Spain, has only two - one fewer than Montgomerie - to hand out.

However, Harrington added: "I can't concentrate on something I haven't control over. I've just got to keep playing my golf and be content that I'm playing well."

After a fall down the world rankings that almost took him outside the top 100 - he stood third three years ago - Harrington produced an eighth-placed finish at the Masters and then came fourth at the US Open in June.

But it was still not enough to lift him back into the top 50, and missing out on last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as a result led to him playing in a much smaller event in Reno instead.

A 19th-placed finish did precious little for his Ryder Cup chances, but maybe the memories of the 1997 World Cup are something he can feed off now. "There are positives, no doubt about it," Harrington said. "I like the style of golf course, that's for sure."