US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Francesco Molinari, Bubba Watson (68)

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FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Italian Francesco Molinari is another step closer to a Ryder Cup debut after taking a share of the clubhouse lead on the opening day of the USPGA Championship - the final major of the golfing year - at Whistling Straits on Thursday.
After a fog delay of more than three hours, Molinari's four-under-par 68 put him alongside left-hander Bubba Watson, the big-hitter very much on United States captain Corey Pavin's radar for October's match at Celtic Manor.
When play was called off because of fading light just before 8pm local time, South African Ernie Els and Americans Matt Kuchar and Nick Watney were on the same mark entering the closing stretch - with Northern Irishman Darren Clarke and England's Simon Khan among those only one behind after 13 and seven respectively.
Clarke is making his return to the venue where he led six years ago after a course-record 65, while Khan, of course, won Europe's PGA Championship at Wentworth in May.
Unlike last week's world championship, meanwhile, Tiger Woods is in touch with all the leaders and seemingly on the comeback trail.
An unbelievable joint 78th out of 80 in Akron - and 18 over par in the process - Woods posted a one-under-par 71 on a day that also saw Ireland's Padraig Harrington crash to a 75 and Spain's out-of-sorts Sergio Garcia to a 78 that effectively ends his Ryder Cup career for the time being.
One behind in the clubhouse are Australian Jason Day and American duo Charles Howell and Ryan Moore after three-under-par 69s. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano is on the same mark with two to play along with Khan and 41-year-old Clarke, who had a hat-trick of birdies from the ninth - the last of them after an expert chip-and-run to two feet.
Scot Martin Laird is one further back and compatriot Stephen Gallacher shot 71, while Paul Casey, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald handed in 72s. Casey chipped in twice, but both were for pars, while Poulter recovered from a triple-bogey seven on the 15th, his sixth.
European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is four over with four holes of his first round to play, while Ross Fisher, sixth in the cup standings, struggled even more, turning in a five-over 41.
Rory McIlroy came back from three over after four with four birdies in the next seven. Fellow Ulsterman and US Open champion Graeme McDowell managed only 38 going out, but Ireland's Shane Lowry is two under starting the front nine and Justin Rose level par after 10.
Tiger Woods was not about to go singing from the rooftops about a round which left him tied for 24th after day one of the final major of the year.

But the world number one still recognised that a one-under-par 71 was far better than what had come before and what many people thought might follow.

"It's not where I want it, but it's better. It felt good to be a little bit more steady," Woods admitted.
Woods was 18 over par in finishing next-to-last at last week's world championship in Ohio, so going to bed only three strokes off the lead was a massive leap.

"That's the way it goes. I mean, everybody has bad weeks," he said.

"Welcome to golf. It is what it is. Guys shoot 59 and don't win. Fickle game."

On his putting, he added: "I felt so much more comfortable. I got my lines back. I got everything lined up where I could release the blade."

As for the two players who could claim his top spot on the world rankings, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker are also one under after 11 and 13 holes respectively.

They were unable to finish on Thursday night because of the earlier fog hold-up and face the prospect therefore of playing 25 and 23 holes on Friday as the tournament tries to catch up.