Ames struggles in PGA golf

ROCHESTER: Trinidadian golf star Stephen Ames had a fragile start to the US PGA Championship and ended in joint 145th position when the first round ended on Thursday evening. In hot and tough playing conditions at the Oak Hill Country Club, Ames carded a 12 over-par 82, a whopping 16 strokes behind American Phil Mickelson and Rod Pampling of Australia, the first round leaders. The left-handed Mickelson and Pampling both carded 66s to lead by a stroke over Billy Andrade, with Mike Weir and Lee Janzen a further shot behind in joint fourth.
World number one Tiger Woods faces the prospect of ending the season without a grand slam victory for the first time since 1998 after he shot a disappointing four over-par 74 to enter yesterday’s second day in joint 58th position. Woods is chasing his ninth major but his first since last year’s US Open. Ames, rated 96th in the world, needed a very efficient round yesterday to avoid missing the cut.