Doug Ghim fired a bogey-free 9-under 62, his career-low in 488 rounds, featuring an eagle at the par-4 6th to take a one-shot lead at the John Deere Classic on Thursday.
“Hit it close. Hit a lot of fairways. Didn’t miss many greens. I had to chip it off a green on 17 so probably hurt the stats. Didn’t get it up-and-down because I had to come over the corner of the bunker,” said Ghim.
“So obviously statistically it will look worse than probably it was. Honestly, hit it so close all day. I probably didn’t gain much any time I tapped in for birdie. I two putted for birdie a couple times.
“That’s just the way the stats go sometimes. I hit it really well. Holed out a wedge. Yeah, I mean, honestly, anytime you can shoot 9-under and not really make a putt it’s always a good sign.”
Ghim, who leads an all-American top-5, holds his first lead after any round on the PGA Tour. His best finish in 162 starts was second at the 2024 Shriners Children’s Open. His best finish in 17 starts this season was T11 at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Austin Eckroat, tied in second place at 8-under, fired two eagles at the par-5 2nd and the par-4 5th and closed with a bogey-free 63. This was his first round with multiple eagles on Tour.
Eckroat has won twice on Tour, at the 2024 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and the 2024 World Wide Technology Championship . His best finish in nineteen starts this season was T13 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Max Homa started on the back nine and fired four consecutive birdies from the 11th as well as five more and a bogey at the 9th to record a 63, his lowest opening-round score on Tour, for a share of second place.
Homa seeks his first top-10 result this year. His best finish in 16 starts this season was T12 at the Masters Tournament.
David Lipsky shot four birdies in a row from the 10th and closed with a bogey at the 18th for a 64 and a share of fourth place at 7-under alongside Sam Stevens who stayed bogey-free, as well as Justin Lower and Michael Kim who both made one bogey.
33 eagles were recorded in the first round, the most eagles in a round at TPC Deere Run since 2000 (previous: 26/2024/R1).
