Min Woo Lee leads however was arguably outshone by compatriot Jason Day as Australia’s contingent impressed on the opening day of the PGA Tour’s The American Specific occasion in La Quinta, California,
Lee carded a formidable 10-under spherical of 62 to share the primary spherical lead with American Pierceson Coody on the $US9.2m ($A13m) occasion, which makes use of a novel three-course format.
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Lee and Coody each performed Nicklaus Event Course however the spherical of the day got here from Day who carded a nine-under 63 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course — thought of to be the hardest of the three layouts all gamers should play.
It places Day in an ideal place as he seems to construct on an encouraging return to type — and health — in 2025 after a irritating run of accidents.
“I’m in an excellent place. I’ve simply going to capitalise on the place I’m proper now,” 62nd-ranked Day stated post-play.
“It’s a tricky golf course on the market so more than happy with taking pictures 9 underneath.
“… I be ok with the place the present state of my sport is. I’m taking part in (with) new irons and I really feel actually good about these … though I’m nonetheless in a testing section with these.
“… General I really feel fairly good. My well being feels nice and really constructive concerning the 12 months.”
Australian world No.45 Lee fired a flawless spherical on Tuesday and can deal with the Stadium Course in Friday’s second spherical as he chases a second profession PGA title having received final 12 months’s Houston Open.
“In golf you possibly can very simply get forward of your self. There’s nonetheless three extra days and also you’ve nonetheless bought to get your self in rivalry. Sure I performed one of many simpler programs so the opposite waves are going to get these situations as effectively,” Lee stated.
“You’ve simply bought to go on the market every day and simply do your greatest.”
“… I modified my grip solely per week and a half in the past, it’s good that you simply see outcomes immediately . I didn’t understand how I might go on the greens however it turned out effectively.”
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler made a shiny begin to 2026, firing a nine-under par 63 on to affix an enormous group one off the lead. Many gamers like Lee, Day and Scheffler are taking part in their first occasions of the PGA season, which begun with final week’s Sony Open in Hawaii.
Scheffler was tied with eight different gamers: world quantity eight Ben Griffin and fellow People Patrick Cantlay, Matt McCarty and Vince Whaley, South Koreans Kim Si-Woo and Kim Seong-hyeon, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre, together with Day.
Adam Scott additionally made a shiny begin, taking pictures 65 on the Nicklaus Event Course whereas Karl Villips was subsequent greatest Australian with a five-under 67 at La Quinta Nation Membership.
Scheffler, making his season debut after a 2025 marketing campaign that featured two main titles amongst his six wins, hit simply 5 of 14 fairways.
However he displayed some crisp iron play, together with a gap out from off the inexperienced at 17 for his ninth birdie of the day.
“I bought off to an excellent begin at this time,” Scheffler stated. “I used to be actually sharp on the entrance 9, made some good putts, hit some good iron pictures, plenty of good tee balls.
“I wasn’t as sharp as I might have hoped to be on the again 9, however I scrambled fairly effectively and was in a position to submit an excellent rating.” Scheffler performed the La Quinta course, considered one of three par-72 programs in use over the primary three rounds of the event within the California desert east of Los Angeles.
Coody’s 10 birdies included seven in a row from the eleventh by means of the seventeenth. “I used to be making good putts and bought issues happening the again 9,” he stated. “It was very nice to see some good wedges go my means, and knock in a few of the good six- and eight-foot putts that it’s a must to.”
— with AFP