Golf: Good start by Danny Lee

Danny Lee. Photo / Daily Post

New Zealand golfer Danny Lee should be pleased with his first-day effort at the PGA Championship at Wentworth in Surrey today, despite letting slip a share of third place with his only bogey at the final hole.

Lee, who is contesting the $9.05 million event for the first time, had moved into a share of third place on four under par heading to the final hole.

However, the Rotorua golfer found the water guarding the green with his second shot at the par five 18th in an eventual score of a three under par 68.

It left the 19-year-old trailing four strokes behind England's Danny Willett, who set a new course record of 65, also in his first competitive round on the course.

Australia's Richard Green bounced back to good form with 66 in second place.

Four players - English duo Ross Fisher and Steve Webster, with Scotland's Richie Ramsay and India's SSP Chowrasia - are in third place at four under par.

Lee capped his round early on when he holed a 45-foot putt from just off the green for an eagle three at the par five, fourth hole.

He birdied the par four sixth hole but then stalled with nine straight pars ahead of holing a 21-foot birdie putt at the par four 16th.

Lee soured his good work slightly at the final hole in attempting to find the new island-like green with a second shot rescue club.

His attempt was left and found the water from where he took a penalty drop. Lee then put his fourth shot to 10 feet and watched in despair as his par putt lipped out.

"I played really good today," he said.

"I didn't hole many putts as I usually do, so I was a little disappointed about the putter but I am striking the ball really good, so I'm really happy about how I played today.

"The greens out there are marvellous and they rolled so truly, so if you hit the putt in the right spot, you could make the putt."

A check of Lee's putting stats revealed he had only 24 putts.

Lee was also complimentary of the input of new caddy Peter Coleman.

Coleman, who is well into his 60s, previously caddied many years for Germany's Bernhard Langer and more recently worked with Michael Campbell.

Lee felt Coleman's knowledge of the course helped him save at least two to three strokes in the round.

"Peter wasn't so grumpy today so I am happy," said Lee smiling.

"But he's been here for a long, long time and everybody is saying he's a legend caddie. He's like a lucky charm for me to have him out there.

"I'm really lucky I found him as he was really helpful today.

"I had a few bad second shots out there, but you know, I had some five to six footers, left-to-right that were a bit confusing but with Peter's help he gave me some good lines.

"So with his help, I think I saved at least three shots because of him."

Mark Brown, the only other New Zealander in the field, completed his round in near darkness at 8.30pm local UK time with a one over par 72.

Brown was level par over his outward nine after a third hole bogey and a ninth hole birdie.

But he then dropped shots at the 11th and 13th holes before managing to birdie the par five 17th.

- NZPA