Thomas surges clear as PGA Tour makes Korea debut
SEOUL: Justin Thomas made a slow 17 campaign by being crowned start to the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup in FedExCup champion, and picking up South Korea on Thursday with a the $10 million bonus that goes with bogey at his opening hole but the it, before helping the United States FedExCup champion soon caught maintain their grip on the Presidents fire, carding seven birdiesCup.andapair of eagles in a nine-under round of 63 While he struggled with his to lead the way. wedge play on occasion on Thursday,
Thomas ended the day three strokes Thomas was happy with his driving clear of Marc Leishman, Patrick Reed but said he was not focusing too much and three other players in the opening on technique. round of the PGA Tour’s first regular “I just swing about as hard as I can event in Korea, which is being played a lot of times I hit a driver,” he said. at the Nine Bridges course on the “When I’m driving it well it usually resort island of Jeju. goes pretty far and straight, so that’s all Former world number one Jason I’m trying to do right now.”
CJ CUP LEADING SCORES Day is five strokes adrift after carding
First round (par 72, USA unless stated): a four-under 68, while Paul Casey and
63 - Justin Thomas Adam Scott carded matching even66 - Scott Brown, Gavin Green (MAS), Marc
Leishman (AUS), Chez Reavie, Patrick Reed par 72s in the third event on the 2017
- Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Charles Howell 18 schedule. III, Ollie Schniederjans, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) Kim Whee was the pick of the - Jason Day (AUS), Brian Harman, Whee Kim
(KOR), Luke List, Rod Pampling (AUS), Kyle home players with a 68, with veteran
Stanley, Hudson Swafford, Nick Taylor (CAN) KJ Choi a shot further back. Bae Sang- Bud Cauley, KJ Choi (KOR), Lucas Glover, moon continued his comeback from Anirban Lahiri (IND), Pat Perez, Patrick
Rodgers, Xander Schauffele, Cameron Smith two years away from the game to fulfil
(AUS), Robert Streb, Harold Varner III his military service obligations with a 70 - Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley, Wesley Bryan,
Graham Delaet (CAN), Emiliano Grillo (ARG) KT one-under 71.
Kim (KOR), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Jamie Lovemark Shrugging off a dropped shot at his
71 - An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Bae Sang-Moon (KOR), first hole, the 10th, Thomas eagled the Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP), Choi Jin-Ho (KOR),
Stewart Cink, Danny Lee (NZL), Lee Kyoung12th and birdied 14 before moving
Hoon (KOR), Thomas Pieters (BEL), Ian Poulter to three under by holing out from a (ENG), Charl Schwartzel (RSA), Chris Stroud, greenside bunker at the 15th. Kevin Tway, Camilo Villegas (COL)
The PGA Championship winner picked up further shots at the 16th and 17th before grabbing his second eagle in eight holes at the 18th.
The 24-year-old American’s second nine holes were sedate by comparison, with just three birdies and a bogey, though he finished on a high by picking up a stroke on the ninth.
“On that last nine holes I felt like I had a really good opportunity to shoot something really, really low so that was a little bit of a bummer,” he said.
“If I would have parred the my last hole, I would have had a pretty sour taste to my mouth walking off the golf course.”
Thomas capped his terrific 2016- 67 68 69