Alex Noren carded a 10-under 61, his career-low 18-hole score on the PGA Tour, in spite of a bogey at the par-4 5th, to take a two shot lead at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship before play was suspended due to darkness.
“Very happy. I mean, it was quite easy conditions and there’s a lot of wedges out there, but I improved the wedges a lot coming from Japan where I struggled with them, so I’m very, very happy. It was great to get a 10-under. It was a long time ago I had like a really low round, you know, lower than maybe 5, 6 under, so I feel good.
“Worked quite hard over the last two weeks at home as well and working on things that me and my coach [Matt Belsham] have worked on just trying to get a bit more fade bias. Tend to hit more greens like that. I maybe hit the driver OK with the draw as well with it turning both ways, but the irons into the greens get — sort of hit the wrong distances more often, too many gaps and I don’t have the distance control. So here today was — that was pretty much the best I’ve — closest I’ve got to the hole in a very, very long time.
His eleven birdies marks his most in a single round and he tied Taylor Pendrith (R2/2021) for the tournament record 18-hole score.
The Swede seeks a first victory in his 162nd career start on the PGA Tour. He has recorded three top-10 finishes this season.
Vince Whaley posted an 8-under 63, his career-low round on Tour, for a share of second place alongside fellow Americans Robert Garrigus, Dylan Wy and D.J. Trahan.
“It was nothing too fantastic ball-striking wise,” said Whaley, “I just made a lot of 10- to 15-foot putts. The conditions were really good.”
The top 125 in the FedExCup Fall standings thru The RSM Classic will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players Championship next season.
Nos. 51-60 in the standings at the conclusion of The RSM Classic will qualify for two Signature Events in 2024 via The Next 10 (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational).
