Scott, Landry setting the pace in California

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 AUSTRALIA’S Adam Scott and Andrew Landry have shot seven-under-par 65s to share the first-round lead at the Safeway Open in Napa, California.

Playing in the morning pairings at Silverado Country Club, Scott had six birdies and an eagle to make up for an early bogey. American Landry teed off four hours later and played bogey-free with seven birdies.

Slow starts plagued former Masters winner Scott last season, a prime reason the former No.1 player in the world was winless despite solid overall numbers. After taking a brief break, the 39-year-old is back and emphasising quicker, more aggressive starts.

“This is a nice way to start,” Scott said. “I would like to have a lead going into Sunday and see what I can produce, to be honest. I’ve been four and five back. It’s a lot to ask all the time when you’re as far behind as I kind of was.”

Ranked 15th in the world, Scott hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since taking the Honda Classic and World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship in consecutive weeks in 2016.

Landry is looking for a jump-start after missing the cuts in the first two events of the PGA Tour this season.

Despite having only played two rounds previously at the picturesque course, Scott had four birdies on the front nine to compensate for a bogey on the 13th. And after birdies on two of the first three holes on the back nine, the South Australian drained an 18m putt for eagle on the par-5 fifth.

“Fun to kind of keep the momentum going and get the most out of the round,” Scott said. “If I had complaints about last season, I didn’t get the most out of my good rounds or my good weeks. Today felt like I got the most out of myself.”

Aaron Baddeley was the next best of the Aussies after shooting a 69, while Cameron Percy (70), Marc Leishman (70), Rhein Gibson (74) and Cameron Davis (76) were all hoping to make the cut.