ATLANTA, GA – Thursday at the TOUR Championship was full of great golf action. Let’s take a look at the birdies and bogeys of Day 1 at East Lake.
BIRDIE: Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay did exactly what he needed to with a first round 67. The round could have actually been several strokes lower. Cantlay burned the edge on several mid-range putts. If he avoids big mistakes and the putter stays warm, he’s got a great chance of going wire-to-wire.
BIRDIE: John Rahm
Rahm got off to the start he needed, going 3-under through six. Bogeys at seven and eight could have derailed him, but a clutch part save on nine seemed to steady his ship. Rahm then blistered the back nine with a 4-under par 31. His opening round 65 put him just 2 behind Cantlay and in the lead group. Rahm looks like the most dangerous player in the field this week.
BIRDIE: Harris English
English made the shot of the day with his hole-in-one on the par-3 15th. It was the first-ever on the hole during a TOUR Championship. And what a shot it was! The 210-yard par three with an island green is easily the most intimidating on the course.
English didn’t stop there, adding birdies at 16 and 17 before narrowly missing his birdie putt on the final hole. His four-under par 66 moved him into a tie for third at 8-under for the tournament.
BIRDIE: Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau actually lost ground with an opening round 69. His strong finish kept him within eyeshot of the leaders, however. After finding the water on 15, DeChambeau made a clutch up and down from the drop zone for a bogey save. He then birdied the final three holes to get into the house in red numbers. That finish could be just what he needs to make a run at the leaders.
BOGEY: Tony Finau
After pars on the first three hole, Finau suffered a double bogey on the par-4 fourth hole. He seemed a little out of form the rest of the day, matching three birdies against three bogeys. He two-over par 72 moved him from solo second to a tie for eighth and from two strokes back to seven.
BOGEY: Patrick Reed
Reed is recovering from double pneumonia and it showed on Thursday. He admitted Thursday that he wouldn’t be in the field this week if it weren’t a Ryder Cup year. The conventional wisdom is that he needs a good week to earn a pick from Captain Steve Stricker. His first-round 72 was not the start he needed.
BOGEY: Hideki Matsuyama
The Masters winner shot an inexplicable 77. The good news? Last place earns $325,000 this week.
Other Highlights:
Sergio Garcia started things off with a bang, eagling the par-4 first hole. Garcia holed his second shot with an 8-iron from 160 yards.
Billy Horschel, one of five players in the field who have a win at East Lake, hit 15 of 18 greens and shot 65. He carded the only bogey-free round of the day.
The scoring average for the day was 68.767
Bridgestone Golf To Release e12 Contact Featuring New Dimple Technology
Bridgestone Golf is continuing to lead the charge when it comes to golf ball tech. The company's newest offering to its golf ball line is the e12 Contact. The breakthrough in the e12 CONTACT is the innovative new CONTACT Force dimple, which features a raised area in...
Golf Christmas Gift Ideas
Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for your favorite golfer? We know it's not always easy. How many golf shirts does one person really need? (Hint: The answer is always one more.) Christmas is right around the corner. Hopefully, our list of suggestions will help...
Product Review: Impact Press
The Impact Press training aid is designed to automatically get golfers in the correct positions during the downswing and ultimately where it counts most - at impact! But the Impact Press is more than a training aid, it is a training iron. You can actually hit balls...
“On The Tee” Interview With Hailey Hunter
Hailey Hunter is a lifelong golfer. She had a successful junior and collegiate golf career and even spent some time playing professionally. You might know her from her work on Golf Channel or the LPGA Women’s Network, or from her winning appearance on ABC’s Holey...
Destination Golf: Primland Resort
Primland is a spectacular resort situated on 12,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Vacationers looking for outdoor activities and indoor luxury simply can't go wrong by visiting Primland. The fabulous Highlands Course, one of the...
2020 Masters Video Recap
The 2020 Masters Tournament is officially in the books. Dustin Johnson won convincingly, with a record-setting score of 20 under par. Videos Include: Dustin Johnson - Every Shot in Final Round Champion's Sunday - A Video Essay of Johnson's Historic Win Low Amateur...
Primland Voted “Best Resort in the U.S. South,” No. 9 Nationally by Condé Nast Traveler Readers
Primland, the boutique resort pristinely nestled amid 12,000 acres and home to the acclaimed Highland Golf Course, has garnered distinction as one of the world’s top hospitality venues through the Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2020. Labeled one of...
Dry Glove Keeps Your Hands and Golf Gloves Dry
Do you have issues with sweaty hands while playing golf? Do you need multiple gloves just to make it through a round? Do you get tired of constantly going back to your towel to dry your hands and your grips? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then there is...
Pursell Farms Offers Fall Golf Packages
Weekday Fall Golf Packages from $199 Per Person Pursell Farms is currently offering some amazing Fall Golf Packages. There is never a bad time to visit Pursell Farms and to play one of Alabama's best golf courses, FarmLinks. Moderate temperatures and changing...
Interview With Jimmie James, America’s Top 100 Golf Nomad
Jimmie James is a regular golfer in most respects, but he’s accomplished a feat that very few would even consider. After retiring from a 33-year career with Exxon Mobil he decided to “ease” into retirement by playing Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses in America in one...
Destination Golf: Branson, Missouri
Photo by Joey JohnsonBranson, Missouri has long been known as a family vacation destination featuring live performance theaters, theme parks, museums, attractions, shopping, and breathtaking scenery. None of that has changed, but the area is also quickly becoming...
Interview With Andy Ogletree 2019 U.S. Amateur Champion
Andy Ogletree won the U.S. Amateur last summer at famed Pinehurst. He's from Little Rock, MS, a small community northwest of Meridian, and is the first Mississippian to win the nation’s most prestigious amateur golf title. Andy is currently a Senior at Georgia Tech...