Crowd-loving Snedeker seizes lead at PGA Houston Open
Brandt Snedeker seized the lead in Thursday's first round of the Houston Open.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Brandt Snedeker, in the top 40 only once since the PGA Tour s Covid-19 shutdown, said the first spectators at a US tour event since March helped him seize the lead in Thursday s first round of the Houston Open.
The 39-year-old American fired a five-under par 65 for a two-stroke edge at Memorial Park Golf Course, a municipal layout hosting a PGA event for the first time since 1963.
"Very excited about how I played," Snedeker said. "Drove it great. Around this golf course you have to be in the fairway, otherwise it s going to be a long day. Did a great job of that. Made some putts. Birdied every par-5 out there.
"You need to take advantage of the scoring holes, which I did a great job of today."
A total of 2,000 spectators are being allowed each day with face masks and social distancing precautions in place.
It s the first PGA event on a US course with spectators since play resumed in June after a three-month layoff.
"That s a big reason why I played well today -- I love having fans out here," Snedeker said. "I kind of feed off their energy. It s great to hear some claps and people excited for good shots."
Australians Jason Day and Cameron Davis, Mexico s Carlos Ortiz and Americans Scottie Scheffler, Michael Thompson and Harold Varner shared second on 67.
"I putted a lot better today than I had in the past," Day said. "I think it s just a good step in the right direction."
Nine players remained on the course when darkness halted play. The best of them was Norway s Kristoffer Ventura at 1-under through 16 holes.
World number 84 Snedeker, whose only top-40 finish since February was a share of 17th last month at Jackson, Mississippi, seeks a 10th career US PGA title and first since 2018 at Greensboro, where he opened with a 59.
"Did a great job of kind of thinking my way around the golf course," said Snedeker. "I m excited I got a low one in me, which is good. The lead means nothing right now. We have a lot of golf to go."
Snedeker holed a 15-footer from the fringe at the par-3 second and a six-foot birdie putt at the par-5 third. He dropped his approach inside three feet and birdied the par-5 eighth and holed another three-footer to birdie the par-4 13th.
"I was putting good, which was a good feeling," Snedeker said. "I ve been driving it well, so it just kind of depended how I hit my irons and kind of hung in there."
Snedeker missed a four-foot putt to bogey the par-4 14th but answered by sinking a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-3 15th and another from just inside nine feet at the par-5 16th.
"The 15th is going to be really tough by the end of the week," he said. "It s just a diabolical green."
World number one Dustin Johnson, in his first event since he contracted Covid-19 and missed two tournaments in October, stumbled to four bogeys in five holes on his way to an opening 72.
Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, trying to find form after hip and knee injuries, also shot 72.
"I didn t hit it well but I was still able to keep it around par," Koepka said. "The way I hit it I could have been 5- or 6-over for sure."
Scotland s Martin Laird made a hole-in-one at the par-3 second from 142 yards with a 9-iron.
