The temperatures weren’t as hot as in years past, but the scores were still plenty low in Memphis. Here’s how things look after the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Classic, where a former major champ hopes to end a lengthy victory drought:
Leaderboard: Stewart Cink (-6), Matt Every (-6), Scott Brown (-6), Sebastian Munoz (-6), Charl Schwartzel (-5), Matt Jones (-5), Retief Goosen (-4)
What it means: Every has missed 19 of 21 cuts this season, but he got out of the gates early with a bogey-free 64 to set the pace. He was later caught by Brown, who won the 2013 Puerto Rico Open, while Cink tied for low man of the afternoon wave alongside Munoz, a Web.com Tour grad, as he looks to win for the first time since topping Tom Watson in a memorable playoff at The Open in 2009 at Turnberry.
Round of the day: Cink has struggled with off-course issues in recent months as his wife, Lisa, battles breast cancer, but his game has come around in recent weeks. The veteran tied for 10th at Colonial, was T-25 at the Memorial and qualified for the U.S. Open Monday in Columbus. He kept up the momentum with a 6-under 64 at TPC Southwind that included nine birdies, including an 8-foot make on his final hole.
Best of the rest: Every’s back-to-back wins at Bay Hill seem light years ago, as he entered the week ranked No. 1255 in the world. But he turned back the clock with a 64 that featured an eagle on the par-5 16th to go along with four other birdies, marking Every’s lowest round on Tour since a 62 at the 2013 Greenbrier Classic.
Biggest disappointment: It looks like RIckie Fowler may be heading to Erin Hills a little earlier than planned. Fowler has been solid in recent months but ballooned to a 4-over 74 that was marred by a double bogey on No. 13 and a triple bogey on No. 15. He now sits 10 shots off the early pace and seems likely to miss his first cut since the Farmers Insurance Open.
Main storyline heading into Friday: Expect more low scores on a gettable layout, and don’t overlook former champ Harris English at 3 under. But the story to watch is Cink, for whom a victory of any kind would mark one of the sport’s more inspirational stories of late given his wife’s ongoing health struggle over the last year and its impact on his playing schedule.
Quote of the day: “It was kind of boring. There really wasn’t much going on.” – Phil MIckelson, who struggled with accuracy off the tee but birdied the 18th hole to salvage a 1-under 69 and remain within five shots of the leaders.
Source: Internet
