2013 champion Kevin Streelman was the only player to post a bogey-free score on Thursday and took the opening lead with a 7-under 64.
“Great start,” said the American. “One of those rounds that just kind of got off to the right start, birdieing 11 and then birdieing the other par-5 and then throwing another one in there and kind of got up and down a few times when I needed to. Then got off to a hot start on the back nine birdieing 1, 2, 4. So, yeah, it’s kind of what I needed to do, I knew the weather would be solid today, today was going to be the best weather day and then it’s going to be hold on to your shorts here for the next few days. So trying to just keep a good attitude and have some fun and it’s a heck of a golf course, so be a fun weekend.
“I felt some really good feelings on the range this week and in the pro-am, and it’s kind of cool little new ball marker I’m using that is legal that can kind of give you some visual cues that I think is pretty helpful, I was using that today which I think kind of helped as well. But, yeah, it was one of those, the per just felt great and I saw the lines and was rolling it great and was able to drop some putts.”
Sponsor exemption Kevin Roy of the United States lies in second place at 6-under. He made nine cuts in 31 starts as a PGA TOUR rookie in 2022-23, including one top-10 finish at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship) and finished runner-up at the 2024 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic, the first event of the Korn Ferry Tour season.
“[My putter] was definitely hot,” said Roy. “I definitely rolled in a couple long ones, but I think the key was I made the shorter ones that you kind of have to make around here. Once I saw one of the longer ones go in I kind of calmed down a little bit. I had great pace all day on the greens, so never really had any super stressed out par saves.”
Canada’s Adam Svensson comes into this week off three consecutive missed cuts. His best result in nine starts this season was T10 at The Genesis Invitational. He currently lies in a share of third place at 5-under alongside China’s Carl Yuan and American Peter Malnati.
The first round was suspended at 7:46 p.m. ET Thursday due to darkness with two players, Paul Barjon (E) and Kevin Dougherty (-2), left to complete the round.
