Photo: MATTHEW HARRIS
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox surprised himself with his opening round at the US PGA in New York which has him tied for sixth.
American Eric Cole charged to the top of the PGA Championship first round leaderboard ahead of a pack of major winners before play was halted due to darkness, bringing the curtain down on a wild day at Oak Hill.
Starting on the back nine, Cole mixed six birdies with a bogey to reach five-under par with four holes to play.
Former US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau holds the overnight clubhouse lead after carding a four-under 66.
Dustin Johnson, Scottie Scheffler and Corey Conners were tied two behind at 3-under 67, while Keegan Bradley, Ryan Fox, Australia's Adam Scott and Norway's Viktor Hovland were at 2-under 68.
Fox hasn't played for a month after catching pneumonia and then celebrating the birth of his second child.
Fox relied on two practice rounds at Oak Hill to help him to a 2 under par 68.
"For the most part I played pretty solid, there were some pretty scruffy iron shots in there and my short game saved me," Fox said afterwards.
"I rode a pretty hot putter today which was nice. For the most part when I was in trouble today I was generally in trouble in the right place and managed to get it up and down or get myself out of trouble pretty nicely."
Fellow New Zealander Steven Alker fired a disappointing opening round of 10 over par 80. His round included a birdie, nine bogeys and a double bogey.
From scores to temperatures it was a day of highs and lows as a treacherous East Course bared its teeth with only 19 in the 156 player field getting under par.
An overnight frost delayed the start of play by nearly two hours, with golfers and spectators bundled up in wool hats, gloves and winter coats as action finally got underway.
By mid-morning the freezing temperatures and frost had given way to sunny skies before an evening chill arrived with 33 golfers still on the course.
