New Zealand golfers Ryan Fox and Kazuma Kobori have plenty of work to do to make the cut at the PGA Championship.
Fox managed a one-over 72 during the opening round of the year's second major at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky on Thursday (Friday NZ Time), while Kobori had to settle for a two-over 73.
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Fox, the world No 58, is tied for 85th on a tightly-packed middle of the leaderboard, trailing 18-hole leader Xander Schauffele by 10 strokes, while Kobori, in his first major, sits in a share of 108th.
Going off in the morning wave, Fox strung together seven straight pars before a birdie at the par-three eight, rolling in a 12-footer. He followed with another at the par-five 10th, almost holing his third shot from 100 yards out.
However, the 37-year-old PGA Tour pro dropped four shots in the next three holes, culminating with a double-bogey at the par-four 13th after putting his approach shot in the water. He closed with a birdie at the par-five 18th.
Going off the 10th, Kobori made bogeys at the 12th and 17th holes, before a birdie at the 18th, chipping his third shot to within two feet for a tap-in. Another bogey forward at the second hole before seven consecutive pars to close out his round.
Kobori will be first off the first tee in the second round, at 7.15am local time on Friday (11.15pm NZT), while Fox will be in the afternoon wave, starting from the 10th tee at 1.02pm local time (5.02am Saturday NZT).
Meanwhile, Lydia Ko is in a slightly better position after the first round of the LPGA Tour's Americas Open in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Ko carded an even-par 72 at the Liberty National Golf Club on Thursday (Friday NZT) to be tied for 41st, six shots off the lead and just above the cut-line.
The 26-year-old produced four birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey. She birdied her opening hole, the par-five 10th, before back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th. After the turn, Ko birdied the first, sixth and eight holes, with a double-bogey at the par-four fifth.
Ko will tee off her second round from the first hole on Friday at 1pm local time (5am Saturday NZT).
At the Ladies European Tour's German Masters, Momoka Kobori sits in a share of 44th, six strokes off the lead, after a two-over 74, featuring three birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey.
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