SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A tough begin to the season had Wyndham Clark digging by means of previous notes, listening to previous books — something to get his thoughts out of the damaging.
The mindset reset paid off within the opening spherical of the Phoenix Open, notably after a late tee shot into the water threatened to derail his day.
Clark saved par after hitting his tee shot into the water on the par-4 seventeenth gap and shot a bogey-free 7-under 64 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead within the first spherical.
“You may’t essentially management the rating and what occurs to your golf ball, however you may management your ideas,” Clark mentioned. “So it was a superb reminder for me to get again to, hey, after I’m taking part in my greatest, I have a look at the glass extra half full than I do half empty.”
Clark was among the many gamers who stuffed it up on a day of good climate a yr after rain turned TPC Scottsdale right into a soggy, wild mess.
Clark was one of the best of the bunch, opening with a birdie and including 4 straight beginning on No. 8 on a day win wherein 24 gamers shot 68 or higher earlier than play was suspended by darkness.
Lee Hodges had two eagles on the again 9 — his entrance — and added three straight birdies beginning at No. 1 to shoot 65. He was tied with Taylor Moore, who eagled the par-5 third gap to cap a 7-under stretch in seven holes.
Justin Thomas had six birdies and was amongst six gamers who shot 66. Jordan Spieth escaped from some tough spots to shoot 68 in his second event since offseason wrist surgical procedure.
Prime-ranked Scottie Scheffler had a wild journey, holing out from a fairway bunker on No. 10 in a 69 in his second begin since puncturing his hand whereas making ravioli for Christmas dinner.
Clark completed eighth within the FedEx Cup standings final yr and tied for fifteenth at The Sentry. He didn’t fare so effectively the subsequent two weeks, lacking the minimize in La Quinta and tying for 73rd as reigning champion at Pebble Seaside final week.
Clark acquired off to an awesome begin, opening with a birdie earlier than rolling in 4 straight beginning on the par-4 eighth. The 2023 U.S. Open champion two-putted for an additional birdie on the par-5 thirteenth and hit his third shot to tap-in vary on the par-5 fifteenth to succeed in 7 below.
Clark was clearly annoyed after pulling his tee shot left into the water on the reachable par-4 seventeenth, however hit a powerful pitch shot to save lots of par earlier than closing with a straightforward par on 18.
“Evidently that’s a birdie gap, and to hit it within the water and not likely have a birdie look is sort of unlucky,” Clark mentioned. “However to come back away with a par was superior — that was big.”
Beginning on the again 9, Thomas took benefit of the benign circumstances within the morning wave, overcoming a bogey on the par-3 twelfth with consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-15. He two-putted for birdie on the par-5 third and rolled in a 45-foot birdie on the par-4 fifth after having to hit his method shot round a tree.
Thomas closed out a 3-under 32 on his again 9 with a 15-foot birdie on No. 9.
“I really feel like staying affected person is necessary out right here as a result of you can also make lots of birdies, however when you possibly get a little bit aggressive or tackle some pointless dangers you can also make bogeys fairly quick,” Thomas mentioned. “I simply sort of plotted my approach round and tried to get some after I might.”
Scheffler opened with a bogey, didn’t make the most of the downwind par-3 third and took one other bogey when he shanked a bunker shot on the par-4 fifth. Scheffler by no means appears to remain down for lengthy and set off one of many loudest roars of the primary spherical when he holed out a 104-yard fairway bunker shot for eagle on No. 10.
The 2-time Phoenix Open champion made a double bogey on the par-3 twelfth after hitting his tee shot within the water, however birdied the par-5 thirteenth and rolled in 7-foot eagle putt on No. 15. He acquired up and down for birdie from proper of the par-4 seventeenth and simply missed one other on 18.
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