Up to date 2 hours in the past
TOMMY FLEETWOOD SHRUGGED off a prolonged climate delay to make an excellent begin to his bid to grow to be the primary Englishman to win The Gamers Championship.
Fleetwood carded seven birdies and a solitary bogey in a gap six-under-par 66 on a disjointed day at Sawgrass, the place the beginning of play was delayed by an hour as a result of in a single day rain and thunderstorms within the space.
When play did get underneath method, Fleetwood began on the again 9 and picked up photographs on the eleventh and sixteenth, each par fives, earlier than chipping in for an additional birdie on the 18th.
Fleetwood, who’s with out a win since 2019 and has slipped to forty ninth on this planet rankings, additionally birdied the primary and was dealing with a birdie putt from 9 toes on the par-five second when play was suspended as a result of harmful climate within the space at 11am native time.
It will definitely resumed following a delay of 4 hours and quarter-hour however Fleetwood merely carried on the place he left off, holing the birdie try and choosing up one other shot on the fifth.
Tommy Fleetwood.
Supply: Lynne Sladky
A wayward tee shot on the following led to his solely dropped shot of the day and the previous Ryder Cup star bounced again with a birdie on the eighth to set an early clubhouse goal matched moments earlier than play was suspended for the day to as a result of darkness by Tom Hoge.
Eire’s Shane Lowry endured a combined spherical, an excellent begin and a robust end, however a center run that noticed him bogey 5 occasions within the area of seven holes.
Lowry started solidly with a birdie on the eleventh, his second gap of the day, and he was -2 after seven holes. However then he dropped photographs on the 18th, 1st, 4th, fifth and sixth holes. The Offaly native rallied effectively to complete with 73 as he picked up photographs on the seventh and ninth holes.
Rory McIlroy.
Supply: Lynne Sladky
Rory McIlroy bogeyed the primary and birdied the second earlier than play was referred to as off for the day, whereas Seamus Energy solely obtained to play one gap as he parred the tenth.
“We had a whole lot of ready round however wonderful circumstances to attain in,” Fleetwood admitted. “It was delicate, we have been taking part in most popular lies and there was by no means a great deal of wind, however you continue to need to hit the photographs. I’m actually completely satisfied to be achieved and we’ll see what occurs the following few days.”
American Harold Varner III had seemed set to put up a greater rating when he reached the treacherous seventeenth at seven underneath par, solely to grow to be the primary participant to search out the water off the tee.
After virtually spinning his ball off the inexperienced for a second time, Varner ultimately recorded a triple-bogey six and in addition bogeyed the final to finish a disappointing 69.
DIFFERENTLY
Get nearer to the tales that matter with unique evaluation, perception and debate in The42 Membership.
Develop into a Member
“It’s a recreation. That’s why we play it,” Varner stated. “No-one goes to die on the market. I’ve all the time stated that. I simply was in between golf equipment and didn’t execute the shot, and that’s what you get so much out right here. Both you get it achieved otherwise you don’t.”
World primary Jon Rahm carded a gap 69, whereas only a month away from his defence of the Masters, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama had earlier withdrawn from the £15.2million occasion as a result of a lingering again harm.
Matsuyama had been scheduled to tee off at 0840 native time alongside Joaquin Niemann and Cameron Smith. He was changed within the subject by Patrick Rodgers.
Matsuyama led after the opening spherical of the Gamers in 2000 following an excellent 63, just for the occasion to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The42 is on Instagram! Faucet the button beneath in your telephone to observe us!
