[ad_1]
HOUSTON (AP) — Brandt Snedeker discovered a number of fairways and greens at tough Memorial Park, top-ranked Dustin Johnson returned from the coronavirus, and followers had been again, too, Thursday on the Houston Open.
Snedeker shot a 5-under 65 within the afternoon to take a two-stroke lead within the final occasion earlier than the Masters. He’s one in every of 37 gamers within the subject this week set to play at Augusta Nationwide.
“Drove it nice,” Snedeker mentioned. “Round this golf course you must be within the fairway, in any other case it’s going to be a protracted day for you. Did an important job of that. Made some putts. And the par 5s, birdied each par 5 on the market. This course is a protracted, robust golf course, so to play properly you’ll want to benefit from the scoring holes, which I did an important job of right this moment.”
The match — at public Memorial Park for the primary time since 1963 — is limiting ticket gross sales to 2,000 a day. It’s the primary home PGA Tour occasion to have followers since The Gamers Championship on March 12.
“I believe that’s a giant cause why I performed properly right this moment,” Snedeker mentioned. “I like having followers out right here. I type of feed off their vitality. It’s nice to listen to some claps and folks excited for good pictures and a few birdies.”
Johnson had a 72 — bogeying 5 of the final seven holes on his entrance 9 — in his return after a constructive coronavirus check knocked him out of the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and the Zozo Championship at Sherwood.
The 39-year-old Snedeker gained the final of his 9 PGA Tour titles in 2018. He adopted a birdie on the par-4 13th with a bogey on the par-4 14th after driving into the fitting tough, then birdied the par-3 15th and par-5 16th.
“I’ve been driving it properly, so it simply type of depended how I hit my irons and type of hung in there,” Snedeker mentioned. “Did an important job of type of pondering my manner across the golf course.”
Jason Day was tied for second with Scottie Scheffler, Harold Varner III, Carlos Ortiz, Michael Thompson and Cameron Davis.
“The golf course type of forces you into being affected person simply because you’ll be able to’t actually miss too many greens,” Scheffler mentioned. “Across the greens out right here could be very, very tough to get up-and-down and you will get into some spots the place you begin taking part in ping pong throughout these greens.”
Brooks Koepka additionally had a 72. He’s taking part in for the second time since a two-month layoff to heal accidents. Participant companion Lanto Griffin, the winner final 12 months at Golf Membership of Houston, additionally shot 72. Jordan Spieth rounded out the morning threesome with a 72.
“It definitely felt extra regular as we had been taking part in right this moment and particularly as we had been ending up,” Spieth mentioned in regards to the followers. “Simply the look of it’s far more regular than when it was simply so naked.”
Koepka served as a guide on target architect Tom Doak’s renovation.
“I believe each time Jordan hit it within the water, he advised me that was my fault,” Koepka mentioned.
Phil Mickelson shot 76. He had two double bogeys and two bogeys.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
[ad_2]
Source link