Atwal equals tournament record to take lead in PGA Championship

Greensboro, North Carolina: Indian golfer Arjun Atwal put behind weeks of indifferent form to card a tournament record equalling nine-under 61 for a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Atwal, who lost his PGA Tour card after a string of poor results, slotted in nine birdies in his blemish-free opening round.

The other Indian in the fray, Jeev Milkha Singh was tied for the third spot after he also returned a bogey-free six-under 64.

Orlando-based Atwal made the field after playing through qualifying rounds at the start of the week. American Brandt Snedeker follows Atwal at the second spot after returning a 63.

"You get used to making a lot of birdies in the Monday qualifier otherwise you won't make it. I kind of continued that today. It was fun," Atwal said.

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"I didn't really expect a 61. I was expecting just to play well because I've been swinging the club nicely, but 61 is pretty special," he added.

Weighed down by injuries and poor form all through the season, Atwal could not hold on to his PGA card after falling short of the requisite earnings on the money list.

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But if he wins here, Atwal can claim his card for 2011 or else he would have to rise up the money lists of the PGA TOUR or Nationwide Tour. "I prefer to win," Atwal quipped.

On a perfect day, the 10th tee starter found himself four-under at the turn after picking up birdies on the 11th, 14th, 17th and 18th holes.

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The front-nine turned out to be as good and Atwal gained shots on the first, third, sixth, seventh and ninth holes to round off his best round in several weeks to match Carl Pettersson's two-year-old mark at the par-70 Sedgefield Country Club course.

Jeev was in similarly fine form and sent down six birdies -- four in front nine and two in the back nine -- to make it a brilliant day for the Indians.