Tiger Woods is at par for 3 holes at PGA; Hideki Matsuyama is the early leader

By Eddie Pells

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. _ The Latest from the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits (all times local):

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9:15 a.m.

Tiger Woods is out on the course at the PGA Championship. Nothing spectacular so far.

Woods is even par through three holes. He had a birdie chance on the par-5 second. He putted from the fringe, about 100 feet from the hole, and left the next one 7 feet away. That one lipped out. He ended up with par on a hole where many players are making birdie.

Hideki Matsuyama is the early leader, at 4 under through his first nine holes.

Thomas Bjorn, Ryan Moore, Paul Casey and Harris English are all at 3 under.

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7:52 a.m.

Rory Sabbatini is off to a quick start at the PGA Championship. He made three birdies over the first four holes to start the day at 3 under. Sabbatini hasn’t made a cut in a major since the 2011 PGA.

Matt Kuchar birdied his first two holes and is at 2 under.

Among those warming up on the driving range are Tiger Woods, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Martin Kaymer, who won the PGA in 2010 _ the last time it was played at Whistling Straits.

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7 a.m.

Carl Pettersson was bracing for a long day at the PGA Championship. When he arrived at Whistling Straits, he had a short turnaround.

The first news of the final major of the year came early Thursday: Gary Woodland had withdrawn because of a neck injury, and he was replaced by Pettersson. The Swede has been at the course since Tuesday and played 27 holes of practice. He teed off later Thursday morning.

Ryan Helminen got the final major of the year underway. Helminen is a club pro in Wisconsin. He qualified by finishing 10th in the Professional National Championship, and he had the honours of hitting first tee shot. It went left.

Tiger Woods, coming off missed cuts at the U.S. and British Open, was among the early starters.