PGA Championship Notebook

Gathered below is a few interesting statistics and quotes from Thursday's round at the 93rd PGA Championship.

He Said It ...
 
"Sixty-three (63) is great. He shot my age today."
 
Two-time PGA Champion Larry Nelson, commenting on the score posted today by first-round leader Steve Stricker. Nelson shot 78.
 
First Round "By The Numbers:"
 
2 -- Madison, Wis., residents (Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly) who are 1-2 after the first round of the 93rd PGA Championship
 
3 -- Number of players without a bogey or worse on their card in the first round (Stricker, Shaun Micheel, Brandt Jobe)
 
5 -- Eagles made in the first round
 
14 -- Double bogeys made at the par-3 15th hole, the second-toughest hole in the first round 
 
21 -- Double bogeys made at the par-4 18th hole, the hardest hole in the first round 
 
23 -- Number of individuals who have now shot 63 in major golf championship history
 
60 -- Number of birdies made at the par-5 fifth hole, the easiest hole in the first round
 
63 -- Still the lowest 18-hole score in major championship history
 
Comparisons to 2001: Here are some interesting comparisons from the first round of the 2011 PGA Championship versus the 2001 PGA Championship, also played at the Atlanta Athletic Club ...
 
22 -- Rounds under par in the first round in 2011
55 -- Rounds under par in the first round in 2001
 
35 -- Rounds at par or better in the first round in 2011
69 -- Rounds at par or better in the first round in 2001
 
73.11 -- Scoring average in the first round in 2011
71.28 -- Scoring average in the first round in 2001
 
Official Prize Money Announced: The PGA of America is awarding the 93rd PGA Champion with first-place prize money of $1.445 million from a total purse of $8 million.
 
Micheel Low PGA Champion: Shaun Micheel, who surprised the golfing world when he won the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, carded a bogey-free 4-under-par 66 to finish as the low PGA Champion after the first round. Micheel also finished second at the 2006 PGA Championship at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club.
 
"I take a lot of pride in having my name on the [Wanamaker] Trophy and in being a PGA Champion," said Micheel, whose best finish on the PGA Tour this my year has been a T-22 at the Memorial Tournament. "There's something about major championships, just with the feel of the tournament, with the media leading up to it, the fans, the support, and the pride of representing all the men and women of The PGA of America."
 
Tale of Two Captains: The captains for the 2012 Ryder Cup produced widely different results in the opening round. Davis Love III, the 1997 PGA Champion who will lead the U.S. Team into Medinah (Ill.) Country Club in September 2012, birdied his final two holes to shoot 2-under-par 68. Love tied for 11th in June at the U.S. Open and tied for ninth last month at the Open Championship.
 
Conversely, European Captain Jose Maria Olazabal struggled early in his round today but did birdie his final hole to finish with 78.

Source: The PGA of America Communications Department