Italian teenager Matteo Manassero shone on his US PGA Championship debut to join Simon Dyson and Anders Hansen in leading the European charge at Atlanta Athletic Club.
While American Steve Stricker matched the Major Championship record-low round with a sublime 63, the 18 year old posted a two under 68 to remain firmly in contention.
The European Tour’s youngest-ever winner mixed six birdies with four birdies and said afterwards: “I played good golf, solid, didn't miss much.
“I've done pretty much everything to enjoy the round.
“It is getting firmer, firmer and firmer. The greens are really tough to hole sometimes from some positions, so you have to play smart. You have to play away from a couple of flags sometimes.”
Dyson’s confidence is sky-high after winning the recent Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland, and he also finished in the top ten on his last Major outing at The Open Championship.
“I played nice again, did really good again,” said the Englishman.
“Even the holes where I missed the fairway, I only just missed them, and I did it on the par five, as well, so it's not disastrous.
“Iron play was good and holed out well. Apart from one small putt I missed, which was a three putt on four, apart from that it was pretty good.
“Everything I've been working on from The Open pretty much, I'm just doing more and more of it, and I've still got the same feelings that I had at The Open and I had in Ireland and I had for the last three rounds last week, even the first round.
“I struck the ball really good. I probably struck it too good - I kept going long. You know, if I can just keep doing that for the next three days, who knows?”
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