Former U.S. Open winners Wyndham Clark and J.J. Spaun share the first-round lead of the Memorial Match with Ryan Gerard and Englishman Tommy Fleetwood after they every shot 5-under-par 67 on Thursday in Dublin, Ohio.
Two weeks out from the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, Clark and Spaun confirmed the place their video games stood as they put together to contend for a second main title. Clark gained the U.S. Open in 2023 and Spaun is the reigning champion.
Clark putted from off the inexperienced to transform a forty five 1/2-foot eagle on the par-5 fifteenth gap Thursday. That acquired him to six underneath par, however he bogeyed the penultimate gap at Muirfield Village Golf Membership to drop again.
Clark solely certified for the signature occasion after he gained the Charles Schwab Problem on Sunday in Fort Price, Texas, which earned him sufficient factors through the “Aon Swing 5” pathway.
Spaun birdied his last gap to get to five underneath, whereas Fleetwood posted the one bogey-free card among the many leaders.
Gerard had a a lot wilder afternoon and completed with solely 5 pars on his card. He went out in even-par 36 with two bogeys, two bounce-back birdies, then an eagle and a double bogey at Nos. 7 and eight. However he caught fireplace on the again 9 with six birdies, together with 5 straight at Nos. 12-16, earlier than a bogey at No. 17 knocked him again to five underneath.
Canada’s Nick Taylor is alone in fifth at 4-under 68, and Sam Burns and England’s Justin Rose are tied at 3-under 69.
Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler had a lot of errors on the again 9, together with a tee shot into the water on the par-3 sixteenth that led to a double bogey. The World No. 1 settled for a 1-over 73 and is not a lock to make Friday’s 36-hole minimize (high 50 and ties, plus anybody inside 10 photographs of the lead).
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Eire, in search of his first victory at Jack Nicklaus’ event, opened with a 1-under 71.
–Area Degree Media
