It was an opening day of fits and starts at the PGA Championship, but when the long day was over a native son had the clubhouse lead near his old Kentucky home.
With darkness descending, Kenny Perry rolled in a 17-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to cap a 6-under 66 Thursday at Valhalla Golf Club.
The day began with oppressive heat and two prominent caddies defiantly wearing shorts in protest of a slacks-only policy. They changed and so did the weather.
A violent band of thunderstorms moved through late in the afternoon, disrupting play for 3 hours, 47 minutes. Play was suspended by darkness with 60 of 150 players still on the course. They will conclude the first round beginning at 7:30 EDT Friday morning.
Perry, 35, had just hit his drive on the par-5 18th hole when the horn sounded at 8:37 p.m. But he elected to finish the hole, a choice he didn’t regret after holing the birdie putt to take the outright clubhouse lead.
“It was pretty dark,” said Perry, who still lives in the state.
Phil Mickelson is tied with Perry at six under, but he completed only 12 of 18 holes. Defending champion Steve Elkington is one shot behind Perry after a 67.
