Ailing Landry grabs lead at Sanderson Farms

MIAMI: Andrew Landry shrugged off a sore shoulder and a lingering sickness to grab a share of the first-round lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson on Thursday.

With the elite of the golf world gathered at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, Landry was among a group of less heralded tour players locked in a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard.

Landry carded a six-under-par 66 after a blistering opening nine holes that saw him reach the turn at seven under on the par-72, 7,421yard Country Club of Jackson.

His dazzling front nine included birdies on the first four holes followed by an eagle on the fifth.

Landry, who shared the lead with Wyndham Clark, Ryan Armour, Conrad Shindler and J.J. Spaun, said his shoulder problem and illness had helped take the pressure off his opening round.

"Honestly wasn't really feeling that up to par going into the day today with kind of my whole golf game and the way that I'm feeling," Landry said.

"Been sick over the last week. I slept on my shoulder wrong and didn't really get to practice the last two days. It's been kind of hurting.

"Just coming out here with no expectations and got off to a good start."

Armour added his name to the leading pack after closing with back-to-back birdies on his final two holes.

"Felt pretty good out there," Armour said. "I hit double-digit fairways. I only missed two greens. Around here the pace of the greens is what you really have to concentrate on."

Shindler meanwhile was among others to catch the eye. The PGA Tour rookie had five birdies and an eagle in just his fourth career start.

Smylie Kaufman and 2015 Sanderson winner Peter Malnati were one off the lead along with Brian Stuard and Derek Fathauer after they posted 67s.