Aug 16 (Reuters) – Swede Carl Pettersson, riding momentum
from his good form at the PGA Championship, fired a flawless
eight-under 62 for a one-shot lead after Thursday’s opening
round of the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.
Pettersson, fresh off a tie for third at Kiawah Island in
the year’s last major, had eight birdies to sit one shot clear
of American David Mathis and South African Tim Clark at
Sedgefield Country Club.
“I started off the round good with two birdies in the first
three holes and got me kind of straight back into the score mode
from last week,” said Pettersson.
“I hit it pretty good off the tee and hit my irons good and
putted really well. It was a great day for me.”
Americans Tom Gillis, Troy Matteson and Scott Stallings were
tied in fourth place after shooting matching 64s in the final
event before the FedEx Cup playoffs begin next week.
Defending champion Webb Simpson, who captured his first PGA
title here last year, was among a group of 12 golfers sitting
four shots off the pace.
Clark and Pettersson both played college golf for nearby
North Carolina State and used their local knowledge to full
effect at Sedgefield.
Pettersson, the 2008 champion of the event, opened on the
back nine and rolled in a six foot birdie on the 11th to kick
start his round.
He drained 17-foot birdie putts on the 12th and 16th holes
before converting a shorter eight-foot try on the 18th to turn
four under.
Continued…
