2018 champion Brice Garnett closed with a 6-under 66 for a share of the lead in the Corales Puntacana Championship. He hit 11 of 14 fairways, 16 of 18 greens in regulation and made 28 putts.
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Garnett has made six cuts in eleven starts this season, his best result so far was T21 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
“Great way to start the week here. We were pretty excited when we saw the wind forecast for the week where it’s going to be windy morning and afternoon.
“We just have a lot of good vibes around here. We do a pretty good job guessing the winds, always putt pretty good on this grass, so it was a great day to start off a fun week.
“It’s been really good at times [this season] and then usually fall a day short somewhere during the week. Just waiting and patiently hoping that we can get all four days together here before long. Had a good run at Honda and had a bad Sunday, had a good run at Puerto Rico and had a bad Sunday. So just kind of keeping our nose down and keep on grinding. We know it will all come together eventually.”
Fellow American Ben Martin also signed for a 66 to take a share of the lead.
This is his second consecutive lead/co-lead in the event. He finished T2 last year after holding the 18-, 36- and 54-hole leads/co-leads.
“It was a solid day, bogey free. I got a nice break at the last hole. Hit a very questionable shot that hit the rocks and somehow ended up on the green. It’s nice to get good breaks. We probably get a few more bad bounces than we do good throughout the season, so took advantage of that, stayed bogey free. I guess I just like the golf course down here at Corales.
“I think if you come here you kind of expect it to blow every day and so I feel like I’m a pretty decent wind player, which is maybe why I’ve played well here in the past. I hit a lot of nice just flighted shots. Having to pull 7 irons from 150 yards, that kind of
stuff, that’s hard a little bit to wrap our heads around, pull that club with that number. But I’ve been practicing that shot and kind of got it dialed in, so I hit two or three flighted shots in the wind that ended up close and made birdies.
“I think anytime you show up to a golf course where you’ve had success in the past, it’s going to be a little added boost of confidence. And I feel like my game’s been solid since the end of the west coast, had some decent finishing at Pebble and then in Florida. I think combine confident golf with a place I’ve played well in the past, I think it’s a good recipe.”
Danger hidden among beauty ⛳️@CoralesChamp is a sight for sore eyes. pic.twitter.com/BifeI2BIgt
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 23, 2023
The leaders were the only two players in the field to record bogey-free rounds.
England’s Matt Wallace, playing this event for the first time, shot a 67 to take solo third place at 5-under followed by six Americans in fourth at 4-under.
“I wish I would have hit a couple – on 16 and 18 I had like quite a lot into wind and I definitely was a club out, but we got a lot right today and learned from those two mistakes,” said Wallace. “Not mistakes, just misclubbed. Take that forward and hopefully have two good chances in the next few days.”
Defending champion Chad Ramey played a 71 and lies in T26 at 1-under.
