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BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — This was the time for American players on the bubble for making the Ryder Cup team to make a statement. It wasn't what Hunter Mahan had in mind.
Mahan is 10th in the standings - only the top eight qualify after the PGA Championship - and he got off to a rugged start with a double bogey. It didn't get much better. He had a triple bogey on the fourth hole and shot 42 on the front nine. His round ended with one last bogey for an 81, the highest score of his career.
Woody Austin, who is at No. 9, went out in 40 while playing in the afternoon.
D.J. Trahan (No. 11) opened with a 72, while Zach Johnson (No. 13) had a 76. The most impressive performance came from Sean O'Hair, who won in Tampa earlier this year and is No. 14 in the standings.
O'Hair was atop the leaderboard most of the morning and finished with a 1-under 69.
"It's in the back of my mind," O'Hair said. "I really want to play on the team, but thinking about it would get in my way. It almost would make me try too hard to get on the team. So if I just focus on what gets me to play well, it will me get on the team. And if I do get on the team, it will help me play well in the Ryder Cup."
Rocco Mediate, who was at No. 12 and has captain Paul Azinger's attention as a possible pick, played in the afternoon and was 2 over for the round through 14 holes.
Azinger will select four players as captain's picks.
YOUTH ON STAGE: Among the more interesting groups for the first two rounds of the PGA Championship were Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas, three young players with increasing appeal.
"It was a big gallery for a Thursday tee time," Kim said.
Garcia and Kim's popularity comes more from their performance, Villegas through marketing.
Garcia is a 28-year-old Spaniard who won The Players Championship this year and is considered by some as the best to have never won a major. He was solid in the first round, with two birdies against one bogey for a 69. Kim has the swagger of L.A., where he grew up, and the 23-year-old came of age this year with victories at the Wachovia Championship and AT&T National. He shot 70.
Villegas is a 26-year-old from Colombia, who still hasn't won on the PGA Tour. But he is famous for his "Spider-Man" routine when reading putts, model looks and natty clothing. He stayed with his more accomplished peers for much of the round until playing the final five holes in 5 over for a 74.
"It was great," Garcia said. "Anthony is a great guy. Obviously, I'm good friends with Camilo. I think this is the first tournament round I played with Anthony, and it's very impressive."
A TOUGH TEST: Paul Goydos found Oakland Hills to be as tough as any test in golf. But his exam wasn't over after he made par on his final hole for a 74. Two officials escorted him to the locker room for a drug test.
Drug testing on the PGA and European tours began in July, although this was the first time at a major championship.
Moments later, Anthony Kim was escorted to the clubhouse for his drug test after a 70.
"I was ready. It took 10 minutes," Goydos said.
Goydos is among those who accepts drug testing as a way of the sporting world, although he was intrigued by the philosophy.
"In this case, you're guilty until proven innocent," he said. "And now I have 10 days to prove I'm innocent."
He was referring to the time it takes to get results, although it might be a little longer. Charles Howell III was among the first to be tested at the AT&T National last month at Congressional, and he received an e-mail 20 days later from the PGA Tour saying he passed.
