LA QUINTA, Calif. — J.T. Poston shot a 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead over Justin Decrease within the opening spherical of The American Specific on Thursday.
Poston carded 9 birdies and an eagle on the Nicklaus Match Course at PGA West within the Palm Springs-area desert. Decrease was one stroke forward of an 8-under pack that included Jason Day, Joel Dahmen, Chris Kirk, J.J. Spaun and Matti Schmid.
Poston excels on the three principally beneficiant programs used for this occasion, ending tied for sixth at The American Specific in 2023 and tied for eleventh final 12 months. The North Carolina native has additionally executed properly in different deserts, successful in Las Vegas final fall .
“Once I really feel like I’m actually hitting it good, I really feel like I’ve bought all of the pictures and might get the ball near the outlet and actually make the most of these scoring golf equipment,” mentioned Poston, a three-time PGA Tour winner. “I really feel like I can go on the market and make a bunch of birdies like I did immediately, so a event like this kind of performs into that.”
Decrease shot a bogey-free 63 at La Quinta that included consecutive eagles.
“I’ve by no means executed that,” he mentioned. “I don’t even assume I’ve executed it in only a common spherical, however not to mention a event spherical. Yeah, any time you can also make back-to-back eagles, it actually helps the rating.”
Canadian Nick Taylor constructed on his victory within the Sony Open final Sunday with a 65 on the Pete Dye Stadium Course. Tony Finau was 7 beneath, whereas Justin Thomas shot 67 and Patrick Cantlay shot 68.
Blades Brown, the 17-year-old prodigy taking part in on a sponsor exemption, shot 72 in his first spherical as an expert. After bogeying his second gap and double-bogeying his third, the highschool junior from Nashville, Tennessee, calmed down and strung collectively three consecutive birdies earlier than ending with 12 straight pars.
“It was difficult the primary couple of holes, simply because my adrenaline was up,” Brown mentioned. “At any time when that occurs, I hit the ball tremendous far, so our distances weren’t going precisely what we thought they have been going to go. Then a poor shot on gap 3 left me within the hazard, sadly. I used to be in a position to battle again, and I used to be tremendous pumped about that.”
The American Specific is the third occasion of the brand new PGA Tour season and one among solely two pro-ams on the calendar, a carryover from the occasion’s lengthy historical past because the Bob Hope Desert Basic.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler deliberate to play, however he dropped out 10 days in the past to present his proper hand damage extra time to heal.
Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 67 at La Quinta in his return to the event the place he turned the primary newbie in 33 years to win on the PGA Tour.
“It’s good to be again,” Dunlap mentioned earlier this week. “It’s good to know the place I’m going for the primary week (as a professional). I don’t have to search out all the things for the primary time.”
Now 21, Dunlap turned professional one week after successful within the desert and jumped straight from the camaraderie and cloistered lifetime of the Alabama golf group into the cauldron of the PGA Tour. Though he struggled in stretches, he was ultimately named the tour’s rookie of the 12 months after amassing one other win on the Barracuda Championship in Truckee, California.
“I might undoubtedly say it was overwhelming,” Dunlap mentioned. “I had quite a lot of stuff occur, whether or not it’s on the golf course or off the golf course, that all of it got here at me fairly fast, and a few of it I used to be prepared for, a few of it I wasn’t, and bought blindsided somewhat bit. My life bought sped up somewhat bit, and in a great way. I’m out right here, I’m dwelling my dream, and wouldn’t change it for something, however it all doesn’t simply occur straightforward or easily.”
