Koepka gets dirty for HSBC lead
The World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai is the first stop for Brooks Koepka on his fourweek Asian adventure that will include two weeks on the beaches of Vietnam and Thailand and a title defense in Japan.
Splotches of mud on his shirt were evidence that it started with a wild ride at Sheshan International.
“Yeah, I had some fun in the water,” he said.
Koepka played so beautifully Thursday that the reigning U.S. Open champion had reason to believe his 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead could have been much lower. He burned the edge of cup on a few birdie putts, missed one birdie attempt from 4 feet and turned a certain birdie into an aggravating bogey when he three-putted from 4 feet on No. 3. But he got away with his worst swing of the day.
Wanting to play conservatively on the par-5 eighth, Koepka hit 3-iron off the tee and pulled it so badly that he disappeared down the banks of a winding stream along the entire left side of the fairway. Enough of the golf ball was showing from the shallow stream that he removed his shoes and tried to whack it out. He did well enough to advance it some 50 yards, leaving him 275 yards remaining over a pond that guards the frontof the green.
Koepka hammered a 3wood right at the flag, and the ball settled about 20 feet behind the cup. He made it for birdie and a wry smile.
“It was an interesting hole to say the least,” Koepka said. “I hit an awful 3-iron, hit it in the water and was lucky enough to at least hit it and advance it and hit a great 3wood in there just past the pin. We were laughing. It was almost kind of destiny to make that putt.”
Along the way, he ticked off another goal for 2017 — the lead to himself after the opening round. It wasn’t much — just one shot over Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand and Gavin Green of Malaysia — but it was where hewanted to be.
Five open with 66s
The five co-leaders after the opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., have never won on the PGA Tour. Welcome to the Tour wrap-around season, when most of the big stars go on fall break. Andrew Landry, J.J. Spaun, Conrad Shindler, Ryan Armour and Wyndham Clark each shot 6-under 66 at the Country Club of Jackson. Landry started hot. He was 6 under after his first five holes after starting on No. 10. The highlight was on No. 14 when he made eagle from 110 yards. Spaun made seven birdies and one bogey. He’s in his second year on the tour after having three top-10 finishes earlier this year.