Brooks Koepka in no mood to relinquish his US PGA title with round of 63

• Defending champion: ‘I’ve never been this confident’
• Tiger Woods fights for a 72 after early mistakes

Brooks Koepka is not the individual anyone would want to encounter when seeking a cure from illness at a major championship. Just ask Tiger Woods. As Koepka’s love affair with golf’s big four continued, a struggling Woods could only look on with admiration. “It could easily have been a couple better,” said Woods of Koepka’s 63, as he seized the lead at the 101st US PGA Championship. Koepka will begin day two with a one-stroke advantage over Danny Lee.

Woods, making his first start since claiming the Masters in April, produced one of his more unorthodox rounds before signing for a 72, two over par and, crucially, nine adrift of his imperious playing partner. The 15-times major champion made a double bogey at his opening hole and did likewise at the 17th, his 8th. A requirement to shake off rust was obvious; Woods had skipped his planned practice session on Wednesday, with an explanation for that arriving during round one media duties. “I wasn’t feeling that good yesterday so I decided to stay home and rest,” Woods said. “I got a little bit sick.”

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from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2JL7XHK