Rookie Jacob Bridgeman carded a career-low 8-under 63 in spite of a bogey at the par-4 9th to take his first lead after any round on the PGA Tour in his 23rd start.
“I kind of struggled with my golf game the last three weeks, my mental game the last three weeks. I was in kind of a rough place. Never had struggles with my confidence until these last few weeks and I told a couple people I felt like I’ve been kicked in the face.
“But it’s all new to me, I’m a rookie out here. I’m still pretty young, I have to remind myself that. These are all new courses that I’m facing every week. I have to learn them. I don’t have the 10-plus years of experience that some of these other guys have, so it’s not the easiest thing in the world.
“But I had to kind of change my mindset, reset this week, take a couple days of rest and I thought I did well today.”
The American earned his Tour card for 2024 by finishing 14th on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List in 2023 and finished second in the 2022 PGA Tour University Ranking to earn Korn Ferry Tour status (Clemson University graduate).
Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes recorded a bogey-free 64, his best opening-round score since a 63 at the 2021 RSM Classic, to take second place at 7-under.
“It was a great day. I felt like I was maybe a tad bit off early with my swing and kind of — made a nice up-and-down to keep my round going early. Kind of found a bit of a rhythm with my swing kind of seven, eight holes in and started to swing it a little better, and the putter was cooperating nicely today.
“You don’t know how long it’s going to last for, but certainly I knew in the first kind of three or four holes that I had something nice going with the putter. At that point it was just a matter had of making sure I gave myself as many looks as possible and got the ball on the green and let the putter do the work.
“It was a really fun day, you don’t get those days super often when the hole starts looking pretty big. So that was a lot of fun and I’ll try and do it again tomorrow.”
American Patrick Rodgers was bogey-free through sixteen holes and had shot five consecutive birdies from the 15th but bogeyed the final two for a 65 to finish in a tie for third place at 6-under alongside compatriot Andrew Novak who stayed bogey-free and eagled the par-5 12th as well as France’s Martin Trainer who also eagled the 12th but made two bogeys at the par-4 3rd and par-3 13th.
Billy Horschel who finished T2 at last week’s Open at Royal Troon withsrew prior to the first round and was replaced by Adam Long (T107/+1).
Related: The 152nd Open – memories made, lasting leaves
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