Leading: Steve Stricker at 63, after narrowly missing a 10-footer for birdie at 18 and the lowest round ever in a major championship.
Pursuing: Jerry Kelly, who shot 65, one better than former PGA champ Shaun Micheel.
See any stripes?: Tiger Woods is in serious danger of missing the cut after an opening-round 77.
Key stat: The top four on the leaderboard - Stricker, Kelly, Micheel and Scott Verplank - are all Americans, trying to break their countrymen's drought in the last six majors.
Notable: Young star and U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy injured his wrist playing a shot from a tree root at the third hole, taped it up, played on and still managed to shoot 70.
Quotable: "I hit a good putt. It just didn't go in. All in all, a good day." - Stricker on the missed birdie putt that would have given him a 62.
Steve Stricker hits a drive on the ninth hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament on Thursday at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek. / photo: Associated Press
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