There may be an asterisk on this headline for good cause. When you pair skilled golfers collectively in a scramble format by which they get to decide on the very best results of each shot, and provides them benign climate and pristine greens, you’re rolling out a inexperienced carpet for loopy low numbers.
That has been the case in first two editions of the Grant Thornton Invitational, which places collectively high PGA Tour and LPGA gamers in two-person groups and offers them a scramble for the primary of three rounds. Within the inaugural match in 2023, Nelly Korda and Tony Finau opened with a 56—and didn’t win. Final 12 months, Patti Tatakanavit and Jake Knapp had the scramble’s greatest rating of 58 and went on to carry the trophy.
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Neither of these playing cards would have held up on a spectacular day for scoring on Friday at Tiburon Golf Membership in Naples, Fla.
Charley Hull and Michael Brennan had an opportunity to shoot golf’s good rating—54—heading into the 18th gap and settled for a par to attain 17-under 55, after which main winners Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark shot 27 on the again to match them with the record-low rating, and people duos held the lead after Day 1.
Each groups recorded two eagles, with the spotlight being Brennan rolling in an extended bomb on the 14th gap. After opening birdie-par, Hull and Brennan both eagled or birdied the subsequent 14 holes earlier than ending par-birdie-par. Thompson and Clark shot eight underneath for the primary 9 holes, then eagled the tenth to start out a seven-under run over the subsequent eight holes. They cast the tie when Clark made a birdie putt on the 18th. Each groups are enjoying collectively for the primary time.
Requested what went nicely on the day, Clark supplied one phrase: “Every little thing.”
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Thompson added, “I really feel like we ham-and-egged it fairly nicely on the market. He performed some wonderful golf and holed out a bunker shot and caught it shut on a number of holes. We actually simply fed off one another.”
Thompson, 30, performed a restricted schedule this season (13 occasions) and notched two top-10s, whereas Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, spoke not too long ago of his frustrations with a poor season by which he by no means contended and had solely two top-10s in 24 begins. However the 32-year-old has been inspired of late after engaged on his ball putting. He’s been impressed with that aspect of Thompson’s sport this week.
“I really feel like we sort of have comparable video games to be trustworthy,” Clark stated. “She hits it actually far off the tee, and if certainly one of us is in play, we’re considerably previous sort of the rivals ,and we’ve got our benefit there. She’s a terrific putter.
“Yeah, actually I felt like our video games complement one another completely and I did not suppose there was any flaws in her sport. Yeah, we had a variety of enjoyable on the market.”
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Wyndham Clark and Lexi Thompson react after making a birdie putt on the third gap.
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Johnnie Izquierdo
Hull admitted she had no thought how she’d play this week whereas engaged on some offseason swing modifications. “I come on Tuesday and I couldn’t even hold the ball on the planet,” she stated. “So I used to be truly fairly nervous at the moment. Really, it labored out fairly wel
Brennan in all probability knew extra earlier than this week about Hull—given her LPGA stature and sizeable social media presence—than the Englishwoman did about Brennan, although he definitely has made a splash as a professional. The 23-year-old out of Wake Forest gained his first begin as a professional whereas enjoying on a sponsor’s exemption within the Financial institution of Utah Championship in late October.
Earlier than the Thornton started, there was a comical video of gamers studying issues about one another as they wrote solutions on a white board. They agreed that they’d name their staff the “Health club Bros” as a result of they each wish to work out. Then it obtained a bit testy. Hull stated that her first impression of Brennan was that he was “cool.” Although she joked that that may change by the top of the week. Brennan described his accomplice as “intense,” and that appeared to take her off-guard. “Actually, you suppose I’m intense?” Hull stated earlier than beginning to chortle. “I’m essentially the most laid-back individual on the earth. I can’t give a f—ok about something.”
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Hull didn’t let it go on Friday. She took over the post-round interview by asking Brennan if he nonetheless thought she was intense. He rallied with a number of compliments: “Yeah, I imply, I don’t it’s a foul factor. … Like, you’re targeted, which is sweet. … You appear to be you care.”
Hull appeared happy with the solutions, and she or he was requested if she nonetheless thought Brennan was cool. “I believe intense and funky,” she stated. “It’s rising on me.”
After a 55, they need to be simply wonderful collectively.
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