Kaymer Shoots 67 to Tie for PGA Lead

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. Martin Kaymer shot a 3-under-par 67 in the opening round of the PGA Championship on Thursday, tying for the lead with six others at Aronimink Golf Club.

The 41-year-old German, a two-time major winner and 2010 PGA champion, carded four birdies and one bogey as an afternoon starter who avoided the chilly morning conditions. His birdies included a 16-foot putt to close at the par-5 ninth hole. The score put Kaymer atop the leaderboard in a seven-way tie after 18 holes.

Kaymer credited much of his mindset to a conversation two nights earlier at the champions dinner hosted by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. A PGA of America official sitting next to him asked if he still played golf or was competing that week. "Yeah, that's why I'm here," Kaymer replied. "I'm not flying from Europe to here to have a New York strip with you guys, you know, of course I'm playing." He said the exchange provided unexpected motivation for his strong start.

Kaymer enters the week with a lifetime exemption into the PGA Championship from his 2010 victory over Bubba Watson and Rory McIlroy among others. He also won the 2014 U.S. Open and the Players Championship, once reaching No. 1 in the...