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D. Johnson leads PGA Championship, Danny Lee opens strong

August 13, 2015
Dustin Johnson waves after making a birdie putt on the 10th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)

Dustin Johnson waves after making a birdie putt on the 10th hole during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015, at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)

By Brian Han

Dustin Johnson seems hungrier than ever for his first major win. He came out firing on all cylinders Thursday for the first round of the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits golf course with a 6-under 66 to lead the field early on.

His swing coach Butch Harmon suggested that he should tee off with irons on certain holes and play conservatively in the windy conditions. Johnson appreciated the advice, but chose not to heed it.

“That is true,” he told reporters during his post-round press conference. “I hit a lot of drivers today and drove it quite nicely.”

The 31-year-old averaged almost 30 yards off the tee compared to his peers.

He birdied his first two holes after making putts that were both over 15 feet. He went on to snag an eagle and five birdies on the day.

Korean New Zealander Danny Lee continued his strong play on the season after shooting an opening round 4-under 68, which put him near the top of the leaderboard.

He navigated the course with impressive accuracy hitting 13 of 14 fairways and hitting 13 of 18 greens on a blustery day.

Lee made seven birdies on the day and four of those were a result of approach shots that landed within three feet of the hole.