BLAINE, Minn. — Jacob Bridgeman carded his final five holes for an 8-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Mackenzie Hughes on Thursday after the first round of the 3M Open.
Patrick Rodgers, Martin Trainer and Andrew Novak were two shots back at TPC Twin Cities.
Billy Horschel, who finished second on Sunday at the British Open after 54 holes, withdrew about an hour early due to illness.
Bridgeman has the lowest score in 23 career events on the PGA Tour. He came out of the bunker for a birdie on the par-3 17th and twice birdied the par-5 18th. The 24-year-old former Clemson player has missed the cut in his last three games.
Hughes had a bogey-free round. The Canadian won the second of his two PGA Tour titles last year at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Novak — at No. 84, above the cut line of 70 players in the FedExCup regional playoffs — was 6 under on the back nine.
Sahith Theegala was 66 with Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, Taylor Pendrith, Stewart Cink, Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama and Hayden Springer. Tony Finau, the 2022 champion, shot a 67.
Nick Dunlap shot a 71, a week after winning the Barracuda Championship to become the first player to win a tour event as a novice and a professional in the same season.
Defending champion Lee Hodges, who was looking for a spot in the playoffs, had a 73. He entered the tournament 71st and hasn’t finished in the top 10 since winning last year.
Thriston Lawrence, fourth in the British Open, shot a 75.
Source link
