Darrell Kestner leads Long Islanders at PGA

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- At 58 years old and in his 18th major, Darrell Kestner still gets nervous, which is what makes it worth entering. "It's the challenge," he said.

The director of golf at Deepdale felt jitters when he began his 10th PGA Championship. "But after the first two or three holes, it was kind of fun," said Kestner, the low Long Islander with a 3-over-par 75.

He had brought inspiration from home. "I looked at the New York State Open at Bethpage Black. That was 7,400 yards, par 70. That's not that much different than 7,600, par 72 here. I kind of used that as, 'OK, you're capable of playing this golf course.' But it is the PGA, not the State Open."

Mark Brown, the head pro at Tam O'Shanter, made a bunch of new fans when it was barely 7:30 a.m. and this major championship was not yet one hole old. Starting on No. 10, he pulled his second shot way left, on the 17th hole, but pitched up, made his par putt and drew the first big cheer of the tournament. Brown received a louder cheer when he did it in reverse -- hitting to the 17th green from high rough on the 10th hole.

"At first, I thought I hit it in the water, then I heard the roar," Brown said. "It was pretty cool." Brown, playing his fifth PGA, still bogeyed 17 during his 78.

The day was an education for Matt Dobyns, head pro at Fresh Meadow, national club pro champion and subject of reality show-caliber taping by TNT. He shot 81. Having played alongside two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal and three-time European Tour winner Branden Grace, Dobyns said, "It's really amazing how good these guys are. It makes me appreciate having a day job like I do."

He admits he practiced too much, but he had figured the Ocean Course's nuances required that. In any case, it was entirely different Thursday.

"It's a major. I'd never played in one," he said. "You never know how you're going to feel until you do it. It was a very uncomfortable situation for me. If you're not controlling it off the tee here, you're faced with a lot of stressful shots and that was basically what happened to me.

"Every time I hit a bad shot, after a little moment of being frustrated," Dobyns said, "I kind of moved on and realized where I am and why I'm here. And I was able to deal with it."