Bounceback birdie for Kizzire at 6. He rattles in a 30-footer to return to -2. Within the intervening time a par on 18 for Fitzpatrick, and the Englishman signs for a supreme two-underneath 68. No larger ability to enact our day one coverage, then. Thanks for learning! Detect you the following day to come.
-5: McIlroy
-4: Zalatoris, Hoge
-3: Kuchar, Ancer, Thomas, Herbert (17*)
Herbert splits the seventh fairway and sends his 2nd over the flag to 15 feet. But he can’t nail the putt coming relief and he stays at -3. He’s got one other investigate cross-test at birdie developing at the par-three eighth, albeit from 30 feet.
Patton Kizzire had been going along nicely. He used to be -2 and in the center of the golf green at the par-5 Fifth. But he despatched his ability into a bunker at the entrance, then knifed one into extra sand at the relief. One worn splash out later, and he used to be inserting from the perimeter in the hope of scrambling par. He couldn’t comprise it, and he slips to -1.
Herbert wedges up from the relief of 6 to seven feet, nonetheless the par putt slides by, and he’s relief to -3. The shadows getting longer now.
Scheffler steers in his left-to-correct par putt on 18, and that’s a neutral correct par. One that didn’t investigate cross-test doubtless when he used to be environment about his uncover in a hot funk. But he cooled his boots quicksmart, and that’s a one-over 71. No longer supreme, nonetheless it’s larger than Jon Rahm’s 73 and Collin Morikawa’s 72. All three individuals of the afternoon’s marquee community over par … nonetheless none of them out of it yet, either.
Birdie for Lucas Herbert at the par-5 Fifth. He strikes to within a shot of the lead at -4, although having despatched his tee shot at 6 over the relief of the fairway and into thick tough, he’ll occupy a test to come by up and the total formulation down to end there.
Yep, it’s in all correct … and Scheffler, well-acknowledged for his placid formulation, loses the space spectacularly, time and as soon as more slamming his driver into his uncover in a wild fury. The pressure of looking to comprehend relief-to-relief majors, correct there. Most attractive six men occupy won the first two majors of the season in the unusual Masters technology: Craig Wood, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth. Having taken his penalty tumble, he gathers himself to wedge his third pin excessive to 15 feet, and he’ll occupy of project to salvage his par.
Scheffler in actual fact is stumbling home. A interesting likelihood that he’ll be ending with three straight bogeys, on fable of having shipped photos at 16 and 17, he now slices his drive at 18 dangerously shut to the drink down the correct. Nothing confirmed yet, nonetheless that appears to be like to occupy disappeared into the blue vagueness.
A supreme ending for Justin Thomas! Birdie on 18, his third of the relief nine. He comes home in 32 for a three-underneath 67. Within the intervening time the dejected Scheffler can’t come by up and down from the sand and he drops to +1.
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F), Thomas (F), Herbert (13*)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Simpson (15*), Fitzpatrick (14), Niemann (13)
Birdies at 10 and now 13 for the younger Chilean Joaquin Niemann. He’s been valid nonetheless now no longer spectacular in his final six principal appearances. No cuts overlooked, nonetheless nothing above a tie for 23rd (in the 2020 US Launch) either. He’s -2, and perhaps on the level of comprise a principal profession statement this week.
Scheffler’s drive at 17 leads to the relief of the trunk of a neat tree. He’s quiet in a pickle to nick out in the direction of the fairway along with his wedge, although there’s no choice to total his instruct via, because the tree would indubitably damage his club and perchance every hands, hands, etc. A intellectual stab out falls ethical short of the fairway and into a bunker at the entrance. With the flag nearby, that used to be shut to perfection. Such a disgrace.
Scottie Scheffler continues to gently oscillate up and down the leaderboard. A bogey this time as he dumps his 2nd into a bunker guarding the entrance of 16. He can’t come by up and down, and he’s relief to diploma par.
Lucas Herbert bounces relief well-liked. He’s a runt dejected as his 2nd into 3 catches a slope that sends his ball rolling off the fairway and down a swale. That wasn’t a ways off being very shut, nonetheless away it goes. No topic! He chips up and in to come by relief to -3. Limiting the wreck to bogey on 2 without warning feels extensive.
Scottie Scheffler sends his 2nd into the coronary heart of 15, allowing the camber to send his ball on a principal correct-to-left shuffle down in the direction of the flag. His ball stops six feet short, and he makes the birdie putt, repairing quite of the wreck made by those relief-to-relief bogeys. He’s relief into the crimson at -1, although now no longer bothering the toppermost of the poppermost quite yet.
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Thomas (16), Fitzpatrick (12), Herbert (11*), Kizzire (10*)
A extensive bogey putt this time. Lucas Herbert is in all forms of grief down 2, having found a water hazard along with his drive. After taking a tumble, he sends his third into a bunker in the relief of the fairway. His scuttle from sand isn’t all that, nonetheless he guides in the left-to-correct 12-footer to limit to the wreck to bogey. He slips to -2. Within the intervening time local lad Talor Gooch is in the house with a 69.
A extensive par set for Collin Morikawa on 14. Having left his tee shot at the par-three short of the fairway, then leaving his 2nd 20 feet short, a Third bogey in 5 holes looks to be perhaps. But he rattles in the putt to remain at +1. Pars too for Scottie Scheffler (E) and Jon Rahm (+2) and Rory McIlroy (-5, feet up, cigar on) will be a chuffed man correct now.
Matt Fitzpatrick clips his tee shot at 11 to six feet, and makes no mistake with the birdie putt. He’s -2. Within the intervening time birdie for Justin Thomas at 15, and the 2017 champ strikes to -2 as well.
While the marquee community struggles, Lucas Herbert is as soon as extra the principal man of the 2nd wave. Birdie at 1 takes the Aussie relief as much as -3.
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F), Herbert (10*)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Kizzire (8*), Wise (8)
Turns out that Scheffler used to be in further bother than all americans in the open thought. His drive found a creek, so he needed to take a penalty tumble sooner than hitting out of the grief down the left of 13. It’s relief-to-relief bogeys for the enviornment no 1, and he’s relief to diploma par. His formulation is on the opposite hand essential cooler than partner Jon Rahm, who blades a chip, then races a prolonged putt previous the outlet; his bogey drops him to +2.
Scheffler is getting quite bit ragged. Some other wayward drive, this time into the bushes down the left of the Homeric shuffle that’s the 628-yard par-5 13th. Some other time he whips out, taking an aggressive line with so essential grief around, and as soon as more he shut to sends his ball into a watery grave. But the ball stops short, and he’s relief in instruct. A valid likelihood for an up and the total formulation down to comprise birdie! Then he shut to dunks his lob wedge into a bunker. His ball ethical will get over, deciding on the perimeter, from the set he’ll occupy a investigate cross-test at birdie from 20 feet, nonetheless he’s making heavy work for himself correct now.
Three birdies in four holes for Aaron Wise, and the 25-year-extinct from Vegas rises to -2. His compatriot Patton Kizzire is alongside him after picking up photos at 13 and now 17. Birdie for Tommy Fleetwood at 10 brings the joyous Evertonian as much as -1. And there are relief-to-relief birdies for Louis Oosthuizen at 10 and 11, repairing the total wreck of an outward nine of 37. Last year’s joint runner-up is relief to diploma par.
Scottie Scheffler prospects his arm on 12. He flays his tee shot into the bushes down the correct. Spotting a gap between just a few branches, he opts against taking his medication and in choice to in moderation chipping out sideways, powers his ball via that gap as an various. He clips just a few leaves en route, and his ball shut to squirts into a creek on the totally different side of the golf green. It stops ethical short of grief, and he’s in a pickle to chip shut and hotfoot his pa… scrub that! He horseshoes out from just a few feet, and drops to -1. Hmm. Within the intervening time Shane Lowry can’t come by up and down from the bunker at 14, nonetheless despite slipping relief to +1, there’s no effing and blinding this time, so there’s no further attack of the vapours Chez Sky. All valid news. Each person chuffed.
Shane Lowry is struggling with with himself correct now. He slices his 2nd at the par-5 13th into the drink. He then chips from 85 yards to 15 feet and drains the par saver, nonetheless accurate now dunks his tee shot at the following gap, a par-three, into deep sand at the entrance. He loudly utters the f-word, “fuck”, as soon as or twice, inflicting UK broadcaster Sky Sports activities to apologise to its viewers of adults, despite it being shut to 11pm BST, quite a whereas previous the watershed. Anyway, he’ll need one other supreme up and down if he’s to remain at diploma par.
Now it’s Collin Morikawa’s flip to jump relief with a birdie. He fires his tee shot at the par-three 11th straight at the flag. The ball threatens to fall relief off the fairway, nonetheless sticks on the perimeter, from the set Morikawa guides in a left-to-correct slider. He returns to diploma par.
It’s been a interesting depressing day for Patrick Cantlay. The reigning FedEx Cup champion took 38 strokes on his ability out, and he’s ethical pulled a tiddler left of the cup at 12 to tumble yet one other shot. He’s +4.
The 2020 champion Collin Morikawa’s speed of pars involves a disappointing end. Bogey at 10, the tip results of sending his 2nd shot into a bunker. He’s +1. A bounceback birdie for his taking half in partner Scottie Scheffler, although, and the Masters champ rises to -2 as soon as more.
The wind continues to blow. No longer particularly dramatically, nonetheless sufficient to present the avid gamers end for thought. In some other case, it’s quite of a low-energy afternoon. No longer a grand deal of pleasure correct now, totally different than Matt Fitzpatrick taking three to come by down from the perimeter at 7 and dropping relief to -1. Plenty of time left for drama this week. It’ll come.
Tommy Fleetwood’s day will get larger and larger! First Everton valid their Premier League pickle by getting again from 2-0 down against Crystal Palace to comprehend 3-2. Now he trundles in a chip from the entrance of 8 to come by relief to diploma par. A world-class shot! Nil satis nisi optimum.
Scottie Scheffler will get a principal damage on 9. He hooks his tee shot into the bushes down the left, nonetheless the ball pings relief onto the golf green. The form of element that happens to world quantity ones. On the opposite hand he doesn’t take profit of his valid fortune, leaving his 2nd short of the fairway. He can’t hotfoot par, and slips relief to -1.
Ewan Murray is at Southern Hills. Here’s his take care of Rory McIlroy’s supreme opening spherical of 65. That used to be ten photos larger than Lee Westwood, who has misplaced a sponsor over this LIV industry, something also touched upon listed right here. To reiterate: the LIV Golf Series can comprise one!
Matt Fitzpatrick sticks his tee shot at the par-three sixth pin excessive, 16 feet to the correct. He rolls the putt straight into the cup, in the aloof fashion, and rises to -2 as soon as more. He’s met there by Lucas Herbert, coming the totally different ability after dunking his ability at 15 into deep sandy grief.
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Scheffler (8), Schwartzel (6), Fitzpatrick (6), Herbert (6*)
Jon Rahm makes an dreadful balls of the par-three eighth. His tee shot takes a hot hop over the relief of the fairway. He then blades his chip previous the flag and off the entrance. He can’t come by up and down from 60 feet, and that’s a double that crashes him down the standings to +1. His companions are in larger mood and larger nick: Collin Morikawa has made eight straight pars, whereas Scottie Scheffler pars to remain at -2.
Jon Rahm performs from the bunker on the first. Photograph: Matt York/APThere’s now no longer a grand deal occurring for Tommy Fleetwood. He’s +1 via 5 after dropping one at 3. But his cherished Everton are safe from relegation, so it’s swings and roundabouts!
… and Herbert used to be so very shut to joined there at -3 by Schwartzel! The South African gave the affect to occupy rolled in a pretty straight downhill 12-footer on 5, simplest for the ball, ethical as it ready to tumble over the lip, took quite shimmy to the left and stayed up. Eh? No longer obvious how that took instruct, nonetheless there we occupy it. He stays at -2.
Lucas Herbert becomes the most popular participant of the afternoon wave! The 26-year-extinct from Queensland won his first PGA Tour tournament earlier this season at the Bermuda Championship, and is the present Irish Launch champion. So whereas he doesn’t occupy essential of a file in the majors yet, he has comprise in other locations. He’s ethical followed up birdies at 10 and 13 by curling a prolonged-distance correct-to-left swinger into the cup from the relief of 14. He’s essentially the most efficient participant from the 2nd wave of starters to attain as excessive as -3. To this level.
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F), Herbert (5*)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Scheffler (7), Schwartzel (4)
Justin Thomas has began to lunge in the hideous direction. He can’t come by up and down from sand at the entrance of 9, and it’s relief to assist bogeys. He’s relief the set he started at diploma par.
Plenty of avid gamers were struggling with the bunkers at present time. Tiger, for one. Brooks is one other. Having didn’t come by up and down from sand at 8, he repeats the failure at 9, and the two-time champion is turning in 40 strokes. He’s +5, and these form of days happen to us all. Succour for weekend hackers in each set. Howdy, we need it.
Justin Thomas drops his first stroke of the week. It’s the tip results of discovering the bunker to the correct of the par-three eighth. He slips relief to -1. His instruct alongside Scottie Scheffler at -2 has been taken by 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who follows up birdie at 1 with one other at 4.
Rickie Fowler holes out from a bunker at 7. The birdie cancels out the shot he dropped at the opening gap, and I will repeat that he’s quiet chopping quite the plug along with his Vic Colfari moustache.
Brooks Koepka continues to warfare. He pulls his tee shot at the par-three eighth ability to the left, then chunks his chip into a bunker. He can simplest hack out to 20 feet … nonetheless then rolls the bogey putt straight into the cup. Complicated to grab whether or now no longer that can comprise him quite happier or now no longer. You’d suspect now no longer. He’s +4. That hip must quiet be bothering him. Koepka taking half in with a dodgy hip, Bryson already withdrawn because of a sore wrist … this used to be purported to be the rivalry of the age. The set’s our rivalry of the age?! Get better rapidly, fellows.
Belated word of John Daly. The 1991 champion used to be mixing it with the leaders for a whereas, nonetheless ran out of
whisky and water
steam in the direction of the tip. After bogeys at 14, 16, 17 and 18, the extinct boy signed for a quiet-first charge 72. And never something nonetheless inspiring. What a hero.
John Daly on his golf cart. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty ImagesScottie Scheffler makes mincemeat of the 665-yard par-5 Fifth! He bashes a 380 yard drive down the center, then draws a fairway wooden all over the bushes into the coronary heart of the fairway, tucked away quite on the left. That’s ten feet away! That is absurd. He rolls in the putt, and all of a surprising the enviornment no 1 and original Masters champion joins Jesse Mueller and Justin Thomas as essentially the most efficient avid gamers available this afternoon at -2. His taking half in partner Jon Rahm’s birdie (-1) looks to be positively mundane by comparison.
Jesse Mueller bounces relief accurate now with birdie at 17! He shut to spins one other ability into the cup from the centre of the golf green, nonetheless this one stops just a few feet to the correct of the outlet. He pops in the putt and he’s relief to -2. In comprise-si-comprise news, he as soon as extra swaps locations with Matt Fitzpatrick, who yips a tiddler on 3 to ship a needless shot. He slips to -1.
It’s ethical now no longer occurring for Brooks Koepka. He crashes a principal drive down 7, then wedges to six feet. He looks to be to occupy confidently nailed the birdie putt, simplest for the ball to sling all over the relief of the cup and end out. He’s compelled to resolve for par and stays at +3.
… and having introduced up Mueller, the club pro drops his first stroke of the afternoon rapidly after. Bogey at 16, and he’s relief to -1. He’s replaced at -2 by Justin Thomas, who birdies the neat-prolonged (665 yards) par-5 Fifth. Time for a investigate cross-test at that extinct leaderboard!
-5: McIlroy (F)
-4: Zalatoris (F), Hoge (F)
-3: Kuchar (F), Ancer (F)
-2: Kirk (F), Pereira (F), Schauffele (F), Smith (F), Na (F), Riley (F), Thomas, (5), Fitzpatrick (2)