Sparkling Koepka holds early US PGA lead as Woods struggles

Brooks Koepka tries to win consecutive US PGA championships after winning consecutive US Opens

Defending champion Brooks Koepka is the leader of the clubhouse after hitting a seven-under-63 during the first round of the American PGA Championship on Long Island.

The American, playing with Tiger Woods, tame the Bethpage Black Course with seven birdies to chair four shots for the Tommy Fleetwood from England (67).

Woods, chasing a 16th major after winning the US Masters last month, struggled as he finished two.

Northern Ireland Rory McIlory is one of the late starters.

Woods, who had to wait 11 years in April to win a major at Augusta National, had a mixed round, starting with a double bogey on the 10th hole, his first, before he was there one in three seventeenth.

However, the 43-year-old birdied the first and second holes before a 25-foot leg for an eagle on the fourth hole went him down.

But three other bogies left him nine shots behind triple-big winner Koepka, who had a bogey-free round, after he said earlier this week that he is aiming for "double digit" victories in the biggest events of the sport.

Open champion Francesco Molinari, who played in the same group as Woods and Koepka, could not match his heavily taxed rivals and often explained, finishing in two.

Matt Wallace from England, who just missed the British Masters last week, and the American Rickie Fowler belong to a group under one man.

Mike Lorenzo-Vela from France and Chez Reavie from America are one step further after carding 68 & # 39; s.

More to follow.