[Photo: Getty Images]
Adam Scott made a hot start at the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic in Japan, carding a three-under-par 68 to sit one shot off the pace after the opening round at Yokohama Country Club.
Scott was one shot behind leaders Max Greyserman, Bud Cauley and Brian Campbell who shared the lead at four-under 67.
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On a cold Thursday morning south of Tokyo, the 45-year-old Scott was vintage on the front nine during a 33 that included birdies at the first, second and third holes – with a bogey at the fifth his only blemish.
The 2013 Masters winner slowed down with an even-par back nine, including a short putt for birdie he missed at the 14th. His iron play was impressive around the par-71 Yokohama CC.
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“Yeah, it was tough,” former world No.1 Scott said after the round. “I got off to like a great start, hit a few shots in close the first few holes and then just started grinding from there. I did hit a few other good shots but I actually missed those putts. I’m not going to say it should be a couple better, I’m pretty happy with that score in this condition.
“I think it made us think a lot out there. We didn’t practice out here with [50 km/h] hour wind, so there were a couple of holes, certainly the dogleg holes all of a sudden require some thought off the tee as to what you’re going to hit. And a few of the shots into the greens you had to get creative with, too. You just couldn’t float your wedges up into the air into that kind of strong wind. The course held up well and I
think it was a good test today.”
With three rounds to play, Scott is well-placed to challenge for his first PGA Tour win since 2020, while his compatriots will look to climb the leaderboard in Friday’s second round. He hoped the tough conditions would continue.
“Well, I actually think the wind kind of helps me so I don’t mind if it blows a little bit tomorrow,” he said. “Maybe not this hard, but I’d like to see some wind the rest of the week, I think it kind of levels it all out a bit in my favour.”
Meanwhile, Scott’s fellow Australians Karl Vilips and Min Woo Lee both signed for matching 73s (two-over) in the 78-player field.
AUSSIES AROUND THE WORLD (Courtesy of Australian Golf Media/Tony Webeck)
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Baycurrent Classic
Yokohama Country Club, Yokohama, Japan
9:07am Karl Vilips
10:24am Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott
Recent champion: Nico Echavarria
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US8m
TV times: Live 12pm-4pm Thursday; Live 2pm-6pm Friday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports; Live 2pm-6pm Saturday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports; Live 2pm-6pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sports.
LPGA Tour
Buick LPGA Shanghai
Qizhong Garden Golf Club, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
11:44am Robyn Choi
11:55am Hira Naveed
12:06pm Gabriela Ruffels
12:06pm* Stephanie Kyriacou
12:28pm* Cassie Porter
1:01pm* Karis Davidson
1:23pm Minjee Lee
Recent champion: Ruoning Yin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US2.2m
TV times: Live 2pm-7pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports; Live 5pm-7pm Saturday; 6pm-7:30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sports.
DP World Tour
Open de España presented by Madrid
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
6:30pm David Micheluzzi
6:40pm Jason Scrivener
6:50pm* Daniel Hillier (NZ)
10:10pm Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Angel Hidalgo
Past Aussie winners: Rodger Davis (1990)
Prizemoney: $US3.25m
TV times: Live 11pm-4am Thursday, Friday; Live 10:30pm-3am Saturday; Live 9:30pm-2:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.
Ladies European Tour
Hero Women’s Indian Open
DLF Golf and Country Club, Delhi, India
5:14pm Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
9pm Kelsey Bennett
9:33pm* Kirsten Rudgeley
9:44pm Momoka Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Liz Young
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US500,000
PGA TOUR Champions
SAS Championship
Prestonwood CC, Cary, North Carolina
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker, Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Mathew Goggin, Brendan Jones, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Michael Wright.
Recent champion: Jerry Kelly
Past Aussie winners: Rod Pampling (2023)
Prizemoney: $US2.1m
TV times: 11am-12:30pm Saturday, Sunday; 11am-1pm Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.
Korn Ferry Tour
Korn Ferry Tour Championship
French Lick Golf Resort (Pete Dye Cse), French Lick, Indiana
12:48am Harry Hillier (NZ)
Recent champion: Braden Thornberry
Past Aussie winners: Nil)
Prizemoney: $US1.5m
TV times: Live 6am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.
HotelPlanner Tour
Hainan Open
Sanya Luhuitou GC, Donghai Bay, Sanya, Hainan Island, China
10:25am George Worrall
11:20am* Sam Jones (NZ)
3:10pm* Danny List
Recent champion: Hamish Brown
Past Aussie winners: Nil)
Prizemoney: $US500,000
