Stenson In Striking Distance At BMW PGA Championship

The world number five is two behind fellow Swede Johan Carlsson

bmw pga championship

The world number five shot a bogey free 68 (-4) to lie two behind fellow Swede Johan Carlsson

Stenson In Striking Distance At BMW PGA Championship

-6 Johan Carlsson -5 Francesco Molinari -5 Scott Jamieson -5 Kiradech Aphibarnrat -4 Henrik Stenson -4 Bradley Dredge -4 Graeme Storm -4 Alex Noren -4 Ross Fisher -4 Branden Grace

World number five Henrik Stenson shot his first ever bogey-free round at Wentworth to end day one just two behind his fellow Swede Johan Carlsson.

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The Open Champion parred the first 10 holes before birdies at 11, 12, 15 and 18 to get into the clubhouse at four under.

The Swede yesterday referred to the new-look West Course as 'fiddly' but did say his game is getting closer after a poor start to 2017 by his standards.

Watch: Piers Morgan swing sequence

He ends day one two behind world number 386 Johan Carlsson who shot a 66 despite bogeying the par-5 last.

Italian Francesco Molinari lies one behind Carlsson at five under after an opening bogey.

He then made six birdies including four in his back nine of 33.

bmw pga championship

Four-time European Tour winner Francesco Molinari shot is just one back at five under. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Also at five-under is Scott Jamieson who carded a bogey-free 67 which was matched by Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

He's one ahead of nine players at four under including Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, world number 13 Alex Noren and 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational winner Shane Lowry.

Wentworth's own Ross Fisher is also at four under after a 68 which included six birdies and two bogeys, which each came on par 5s.

Tyrrell Hatton is at three under after three birdies in his last seven holes, Lee Westwood is at two under after parring the last 11, and defending champion Chris Wood, Danny Willett and Justin Rose are all at even par.

GM Playing Editor Wood bogeyed the last and blamed his score on a poor day on the greens.

"I couldn't hit the hole from three feet," said the Bristolian.

"I'm pretty disappointed and not in the best frame of mind now."

 

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV