JUSTIN THOMAS DRAINED four consecutive birdies to post a seven-under 64 and grab a share of the first round lead at the US PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open on Thursday.
Thomas, who began on the back nine, birdied the last hole of his front nine and then added three straight to begin the back. He also had six birdies in seven holes during the middle of his round to finish in a tie with fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Harold Varner.
Waterford’s Seamus Power — teeing off his first round on the back nine — will have to work hard to make the cut after a level-par 71 which included three birdies and three bogeys.
“It was very, very hard to get the balls close to the pin early in the round,” said the nine-time PGA Tour winner Justin Thomas, meanwhile. “But I just continued to try to stay patient and was driving it well to where I had wedges and I made some very low-stress birdies.”
Thomas, who was one of the pre-tournament favourites, tied for 17th last year. He also missed the cut twice in this event.
Fowler eagled the par-five 13th as part of a four-under score for his first eight holes, while Varner caught the leaders with three birdies on his final six holes.
JT Poston and Scotland’s Martin Laird are both one shot back after shooting 65s.
