Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Brendon Todd, playing in the PGA Championship for the first time in five years, is tied for the lead with Jason Day after Thursday's opening round at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Todd made a 10-foot par putt on his final hole of the round to join Day at 5-under 65. Day had a bogey-free start to the 102nd PGA Championship, while Todd carded seven birdies and two bogeys.
Todd and Day were one shot ahead of the group behind them, which included two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka. He was at 4-under 66 with eight other players, a list that featured former major winners Justin Rose, Zach Johnson and Martin Kaymer.
With a win this weekend, Koepka -- who hasn't won in more than a year -- could become only the seventh player in the 160-year history of major championship golf to win the same major in three consecutive years.
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"It's only 18 holes right now," Koepka said. "I feel good. I feel confident. I'm excited for the next three days. I think I can definitely play a lot better. Just need to tidy a few things up, and we'll be there come Sunday on the back nine."
Tiger Woods ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch near the end of his round and opened with a 68. It was the 15-time major champion's first opening-round score in the 60s at a major championship since the 2014 U.S. Open.
Woods, who was grouped with Rory McIlroy and world No. 1 Justin Thomas, had five birdies and three bogeys to finish at 2-under 68, leaving him three shots back of Day and Todd.
"This golf course, you have to hit the ball in the fairway," Woods said. "You get a ball in the rough, into the grain, there's no chance you can get the ball to the green. I felt like I did a decent job of doing that, and the golf course is only going to get more difficult as the week goes on."
McIlroy overcame three consecutive bogeys early and finished with an even-par 70. Thomas had a pair of double bogeys and shot 71.
Bryson DeChambeau, who broke his driver on the seventh hole after another powerful swing, opened at 2-under 68. Dustin Johnson was 1-under par, while Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia each shot 73s.
The PGA Championship was originally scheduled to begin May 14 but was rescheduled for August and without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic.
