ROCHESTER, New York, 16 August 2003 — Ernie Els, one of few players to handle tougher conditions early in the US PGA Championship second round yesterday, wasted a golden chance to threaten the lead when he three-putted on his final hole.

The world No. 2, joint-22nd overnight after an opening 71, found a greenside bunker with his approach at the 452-yard ninth and, after splashing out to 25 feet, had to settle for a double-bogey six and a level-par 70.

That left the 2002 British Open champion at one-over 141, having also collected four birdies and two bogeys at a sun-baked Oak Hill Country Club.

The 33-year-old South African had bounced back from a bogey five at the 429-yard 10th, his first hole, with three consecutive birdies from the 14th before dropping a second shot at the difficult par-four 17th.

Although Els holed a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-four eighth to get back to under overall, he spoiled what would have been a good round in the conditions with his untidy finish. Phil Mickelson and unheralded Australian Rod Pampling had set the first-round pace with matching 66s on day one, and Mickelson found the fairway with his opening tee shot to set up a rock-solid par four at the first, staying at four under.

However Pampling, who had teed off five groups earlier, stumbled with a double-bogey five at the 214-yard third to slide back to two under.

The 33-year-old Australian, playing in his first US PGA Championship, partially recovered with a birdie four at the fourth to remain outright second at three under.

Twelve players broke par on Thursday, when the first round was largely unaffected by the largest power outage in North American history, but that figure was likely to drop significantly on day two with the par-70 layout drying out in hot and humid conditions. The tree-lined East Course has been set up in US Open fashion this week, with tight fairways only 23 yards wide on average and flanked by punitive rough.

Accuracy off the tee was already at a premium in the first round, and will be even more paramount as temperatures climb further during round two.