Miami: Defending champion Sam Burns closed with back-to-back birdies to match Venezuela Jhonattan Vegas, Canada’s Adam Hadwin and US compatriot David Lipsky for the lead after the opening round of the US PGA Valspar Championship on Thursday.
Burns, Vegas, Lipsky and Hadwin all burned seven-under par 64s at the Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Only Lipsky, who chased his first U.S. PGA title, had a bogey-free round, his longest birdie putt of just outside 10 feet.
“My iron game was excellent. I beat it a lot,” Lipsky said. “I did not really leave myself too much stress par savings. It was relatively straightforward and that is a formula for going well.
The only first-round Valspar leader or co-leader to win the title was South Korean KJ Choi in 2002. New Zealander Danny Lee and Americans Scott Stallings, Davis Riley and Richy Werenski shared the fifth at 65.
World No. 17 Burns won his only other PGA title last October at the Sanderson Farms Championship, but has fond memories of last year’s victory.
“I will look back on that event forever, it is my first victory,” Burns said. “Winning doesn’t happen often here, so I think it’s good to reflect and just be extremely grateful.”
The 25-year-old American birdied three of four par-5 holes in all four par-3 holes, most recently a tap-in on the 17th after putting an 8-yard shot inches from the cup. Burns had a 14-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
“I honestly thought I missed it,” Burns said. “It hit something and shot a little right in the middle. But it caught the right side.”
Hadwin, a 34-year-old back-nine starter who won the 2017 Valpsar title, has birdied four of his last five holes. He placed a birdie over 36 feet on the 18th, shot another over 26 feet on the sixth and finished with a birdie putt from just within 24 feet on the ninth.
“A lot of things went right to shoot 64 around this place,” Hadwin said. “Just a lot of good consistent golf. I would not say I felt great from the tea, but I was never in trouble. I hit it really well.
“Just a lot of good quality iron shots that work from the center of the greens to the pins give ourselves opportunities … This golf course rewards patience and I took advantage of that today.”
Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson opened with a 67 in his 300th PGA Tour start. “It could have been a little better. I hit it really well, I drove it relatively well, just struggling with the speed on the greens,” Johnson said. “They’re a little slower than normal.”
South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion and 2016 Valspar winner, scored for the 194-yard eagle at par-16.
Selected scores
Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela) 64
-6 Danny Lee (New Zealand) 65
-5 Kramer Hickok (USA) 66
Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng) 67
Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) 67
Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 67
Xander Schauffele (USA) 67
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