Na takes Colonial lead with 90-foot chip-in
Kevin Na chipped in from the rough more than 90 feet away for a birdie to close out an 8-under-par 62 and take the first-round lead Thursday in the PGA Tour’s Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial Golf Course.
After Na’s tee shot at the 399-yard ninth hole went into the rough to the right, his approach flew over the green and settled against a temporary grandstand. His relief was a drop into more rough, but after the chip to the green, the ball rolled over a ridge, started to curl and caught the edge of the cup before falling to end his round.
That put him one stroke ahead of Charley Hoffman, who also was bogey-free when shooting a 63 in the morning round.
This is the sixth time Na has had a first-round lead, his third at Colonial.
“This is a great golf course for me. Every year I come here I have high, high expectations,” he said, before emphasizing a note that had been relayed by a PGA Tour media official. “Did you hear what he said? I’ve had the lead a few times. He never said I won, did he?”
Jhonattan Vegas, Emiliano Grillo, Andrew Putnam and Beau Hossler shot 64.
LPGA Tour: Amy Olson, Moriya Jutanugarn, Caroline Masson and Danielle Kang each carded a 6-under 66 to share the first-round lead at the Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Jessica Korda, Minjee Lee, Nasa Hataoka, Lindy Duncan, Morgan Pressel, Megan Khang and Jodi Ewart Shadoff were a stroke back at 67 and six others were two shots back.
PGA Tour Champions: Nevada club professional Stuart Smith shot a 5under 66 for a share of the first-round lead of the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich.
Smith closed his morning round with a double bogey on the par-4 18th, and Scott McCarron, Tim Petrovic, Wes Short Jr., Barry Lane and Peter Lonard matched the 66 in the afternoon.
European Tour: Lucas Bjerregaard shot a 7under 65 to take a oneshot lead over Dean Burmester and Darren Fichardt after the first round of the BMW PGA Championship in Virginia Water, England.
Rory McIlroy was among four players two shots off the lead.