Scoring low at Sea Island

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Sebastian Muñoz took note of tough weather conditions on his way to the RSM Classic and figured all he could do was keep his head down and make birdies. He wound up with a 10-under-par 60 to shatter his career best by six shots, but scoring was so low Thursday at Sea Island Resort, all that gave him was a one-shot lead. The 28-year-old Colombian, who earned his lone PGA Tour victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in September 2019, birdied his final hole on the Seaside course to close out a good day. Four players were tied for second, although Sea Island member Zach Johnson was the only one in that group with a 61 because he played the Seaside course, while Chez Reavie, Scott Stallings and past tournament champion MacKenzie Hughes of Canada all played the Plantation course and posted a 9-under

63. Four players were tied at 8 under, and scoring was so ideal that all but 21 of 156 entrants broke par. All four Baylor School graduates on the PGA Tour are in the field, and three were among those tied for 55th at 4 under: Stephan Jeager shot a Seaside 66, while Luke List and Keith Mitchell both played the Plantation in 68. Harris English — competing for only the second time since the new season started in September and for the first time since withdrawing during the final round of the CJ Cup in mid-October — was tied for 83rd after shooting a 69 on the Plantation.

› NAPLES, Fla. — Nelly Korda opened the CME Group Tour Championship with a 6-under-par 66 that left her two shots out of the lead Thursday and gave her a good start toward winning LPGA Tour player of the year. The $1.5 million prize for winning the tournament is in range, too. Former U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 finished with three straight birdies for an 8-under 64 and a one-shot lead over four players. The 60 players who qualified for the season finale have the same chance to win what is the largest in women’s golf, regardless of their position in the Race to CME Globe standings. The more compelling race is the points-based award for LPGA player of the year, which is down to Korda and Jin Young Ko, each with four victories. Korda has a 10-point lead, meaning Ko — the South Korean star was tied for 25th after a 69 — would have to be at least runner-up to have a chance.

FOOTBALL

› ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson was inactive for Thursday night’s game against the New England Patriots, taking one of the team’s most productive players away from an already depleted offense. Patterson, limited during the short week of practice, tested his injured ankle on the field ahead of the game before being ruled out. He is the team’s leading rusher with 303 yards but has made his perhaps biggest impact as a receiver out of the backfield, with 39 catches for 473 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns. Mike Davis, Wayne Gallman and Qadree Ollison, promoted from the practice squad for the game, were expected to be the top options at running back for the Falcons (4-5) against the Patriots (6-4). Atlanta wide receiver Calvin Ridley, out indefinitely while addressing mental health issues, missed his fourth consecutive game after being placed on the nonfootball injury reserve list on Nov. 6. The Falcons also were without tight end Hayden Hurst (ankle) after he was placed on injured reserve before the game, which was not complete at press time. Please visit timesfreepress.com for coverage.

TENNIS

› GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Earlier this week, Garbiñe Muguruza said competing in Mexico was like playing at home. After winning the WTA Finals title on Wednesday, it certainly looked that way. The 28-year-old beat Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 to win the season-ending tournament for the first time in her career and improve to 14-2 overall in Mexico. Muguruza, who won back-to-back titles in Monterrey in northern Mexico in 2018-19, became the first Spaniard to win the WTA Finals. She was backed the whole week by a raucous crowd that gathered at Estadio Akron to cheer and clap for her as if she was one of their own. The former No. 1-ranked Muguruza, a semifinalist at the 2015 WTA Finals, also became the event’s oldest champion since Serena Williams won it in 2014 and will finish the season at No. 3 in the rankings, her best since 2017.