Four on top in Memphis
MEMPHIS — Matt Every didn’t want to make too much of his score or his first-place status after Thursday’s opening round of the St. Jude Classic.
Considering he understands how hard it is to win on the PGA Tour — and how much company he had at the top of the leaderboard — that’s understandable.
Every shot a 6-underpar-64 at TPC Southwind, as did co-leaders Scott Brown, Stewart Cink and Sebastian Munoz. Matt Jones and Charl Schwartzel were one stroke back at the final tuneup before the U.S. Open, and two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen and Chez Reavie each shot a 66 to share seventh.
Among five players tied for ninth at 67 was former Baylor School golfer Harris English.
Every, 33, has two wins on the PGA Tour, though none since 2014. He has only made two cuts this year and hasn’t finished better than a tie for 62nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March.
“I haven’t played real well in a couple years, and I’ve been out here for like seven or eight, so I kind of know the drill … one round is not that big a deal,” Every said. “It is nice to play well, but yeah, they don’t hand out trophies after the first round.”
Every had four birdies in a round that included an eagle on the par-5 16th, where he stuck his second shot about 10 feet from the flagstick before sinking the putt. He closed his day by making a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
“Middle of the round got a little away from me, but I saved some shots and I haven’t been doing that lately,” Every said. “Then I played pretty solid the last few holes. So it was just a good day. I was kind of due for one.”
Brown, Cink and Munoz joined him by making afternoon charges up the leaderboard.
The 34-year-old Brown, who finished second at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and tied for second at the Genesis Open this season, followed a bogey on the 14th with consecutive birdies, holing a pair of putts from inside 10 feet to pull even with Every. He missed a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 18 that would have given him sole possession of the lead.
“I’ve been striking it nicely now for a few months, and just the putter’s kind of been a little inconsistent,” Brown said. “Hot some days, cold some days. … If I can keep the putter rolling, should be kind of in the mix for the week.”
Cink, 44, is a six-time winner on tour and the 2009 British Open champion. He birdied three straight holes late in his round, including one from about 10 feet on the par-4 5th. He bogeyed the next hole, then closed his round with a birdie on No. 9 to catch Brown and Every.
“The key to my round today was the key to anyone’s round who plays well here” Cink said, “and that is you’ve got to keep the ball in front of you. Meaning, you don’t have to hit every fairway, but you can’t really be off too much.”
Munoz is a 24-year-old third-year pro from Colombia who is chasing his first victory on tour. He had no bogeys during the best round of his pro career and made six birdies, including two in a row on Nos. 15-16.
Two share PGA lead
CAMBRIDGE, Canada — Mi Hyang Lee and Suzann Pettersen each shot an 8-under 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Manulife LPGA Classic.
Laura Gonzalez Escallon, Shanshan Feng and Hyo Joo Kim were a stroke behind in third at Whistle Bear Golf Club, with another trio tied for sixth at 66 — Emily K. Pedersen, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Alena Sharp.
Pettersen is a 15-time LPGA Tour winner whose last win came at this tournament two years ago. Lee is looking for her second tour victory. She won the Mizuno Classic in Japan in November 2014.
Aguilar ahead of pack
ATZENBRUGG, Austria — Felipe Aguilar shot a 7-under 65 and held a two-stroke lead over a group of three on a sunny opening day at the Lyoness Open.
Starting on the back nine, the two-time European Tour winner bogeyed the par-4 11th but recovered with eight birdies total. It was only Aguilar’s fifth round under 70 this season.
Johan Carlsson, Ashley Chesters and Jaco Van Zyl shared second, with Joel Stalter, Graeme Storm and Oliver Wilson one stroke further behind in fifth.