SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — Hayden Springer birdied three of his final 4 holes Thursday for a 6-under 65, giving him a share of the lead with Justin Decrease earlier than darkness stored the opening spherical of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship from ending.
Springer wanted a begin like this with solely two tournaments left within the PGA Tour season. He got here to Bermuda at No. 125 within the FedExCup, the cutoff for retaining full standing for 2025.
Decrease is secure at No. 95 and introduced good type to the island in the course of the Atlantic, coming off a runner-up end in Mexico final week.
They have been one shot forward of Patrick Rodgers, Joseph Bramlett and Kevin Dougherty, who nonetheless had the 18th gap at Port Royal to play to finish his spherical.
Springer is doing his greatest not to consider his place within the FedExCup standings.
“It’s good to get off to a great begin. I imply, that’s the place you wish to be, you wish to play properly every single day,” he stated. “I feel I would like it as a lot as anyone, so it’s undoubtedly good to try this and hopefully it can proceed all week.”
Springer has expertise with a quick begin. He posted one in every of two sub-60s rounds on the PGA Tour this 12 months when he opened with a 59 on the John Deere Traditional in July. He adopted with a 71 and wound up in a tie for seventh.
“There’s a lot golf left, so it’s straightforward to form of get forward of your self,” Springer stated. “That’s actually the primary factor I form of realized at John Deere. I obtained a little bit rattled on my again 9 on Friday. I began to form of give it some thought and the place I used to be positioned. I feel that’s the largest factor is simply don’t assume an excessive amount of about it and play golf.”
Decrease was within the first group earlier than the standard robust wind at Port Royal gained some drive. He began on the again 9 and performed bogey-free.
Springer did properly to catch him. He holed a protracted birdie putt on the fifteenth that he known as a bonus, made it by way of the scary par-3 sixteenth alongside the ocean, took benefit of getting the wind at his again on the par-5 seventeenth after which obtained an awesome roll off the slope on the 18th, the ball setting about 6 toes away for a last birdie.
Decrease can solely hope some latest historical past is on his facet. A 12 months in the past, Camilo Villegas completed second in Mexico, after which adopted with a win in Bermuda.
“Crossed my thoughts, for certain,” Decrease stated. “However we nonetheless have 54 holes to go. We’ve got very unpredictable climate apart from tomorrow — Saturday from what I’ve seen appears to be like fairly depressing. However yeah, I’m feeling superb after final week and a little bit decided after arising a shot quick. Simply doing what I can.”
The group at 67 included Kevin Kisner, enduring a tough 12 months as he tries to kind out his sport whereas spending a while within the NBC broadcast sales space. Additionally at 67 was Jhonattan Vegas, one in every of solely three gamers within the discipline who have already got locked up a spot within the Masters.
Vegas was far and wide, making just one par in his opening 12 holes — seven birdies and 4 bogeys on the opposite holes — till settling down.
“It was a little bit little bit of a curler coaster for certain,” Vegas stated.
Lucas Glover, at No. 48 the one participant from the highest 50 on this planet in Bermuda, was within the massive group at 68.
Twenty-one gamers will conclude their first rounds Friday morning earlier than a fast turnaround for the subsequent spherical.
