15 July 2011 10:06 GMT

Anyone who disputes the fact that putting is the most important part of the game of golf might want to have a quick look at the putting statistics collated during the first round of this year’s Championship.

One reason why young Tom Lewis went into the second round tied at the top of the leaderboard was that he needed just 24 putts over the 18 holes, including a remarkable eight in his first eight holes. That was the same as third-placed Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, and was just one less than co-leader Thomas Bjorn, who required just 25 putts to complete his round.

The longest hitter during the first round was Robert Garrigus, the American who happens to wield the shortest putter on the PGA Tour, measuring just 26 inches. His average was 327.0 yards, marginally ahead of compatriots Bo Van Pelt (324.5), JB Holmes (324) and Gary Woodland (324).

European Tour players, Bjorn, Graeme Storm and Gregory Havret led the fairways hit category (79%) while Ricky Barnes hit the most greens (15 out of 18).