Sabbatini’s 7-under 64 sets pace at Hilton Head

Rory Sabbatini shot a 7-under 64 for his lowest round ever at Harbour Town Golf Links and a two-stroke lead Thursday in the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C.

Top-ranked Dustin Johnson, the South Carolina native who grew up about three hours northwest of here yet had not played in the Palmetto State’s lone PGA Tour stop since 2009, was five shots back.

Sabbatini quickly moved to the top in perfect, windless conditions on what’s typically one of the most windswept layouts of the year. Matt Kuchar, Billy Horschel, Chesson Hadley and John Huh shot 66s. Johnson had a run of four straight birdies in the middle of his round, but ended up with a 69. He was tied for 20th.

Sabbatini, starting on No. 10, birdied four holes on his front nine. He made a 52-foot putt on the par-3 14th and put his approach on No. 18 — the Pete Dye course’s signature hole with the lighthouse in the backdrop — to about 7 feet to set up another birdie.

“I think anytime you can birdie 18 on this golf course, it’s key because 18 is not a very forgiving hole,” he said.

Sabbatini, the last of whose six PGA Tour wins came in 2011, kept up the strong play with three more birdies coming in. He closed the round with consecutive birdies on his final two holes, the eighth and the ninth.

Kuchar, playing with Johnson, took advantage of the mild conditions to get himself in early position for his second tartan winner’s jacket.

Kuchar, ranked 21st in the world, stood at 1 under after his first 11 holes before birding four of his final seven — all on putts of 15 feet or less — to move into second.

U.S. Open: Tiger Woods has filed his entry to play in the U.S. Open for the first time since 2015. The USGA says Woods officially entered on Thursday, four days after he tied for 32nd in the Masters. Even exempt players have to formally enter the U.S. Open.

Woods hasn’t played the U.S. Open since he missed the cut at Chambers Bay with rounds of 80-76.

The U.S. Open is June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island, where Woods made his U.S. Open debut in 1995 as the U.S. Amateur champion.

European Tour: Home favorite Jon Rahm shot a 5-under 67 to finish one off the lead after the first round of the Spanish Open. Marc Warren of Scotland and Paul Dunne of Ireland set the pace on 66 at the Centro Nacional de Golf in Madrid.

Rahm, who finished fourth at the Masters on Sunday, eagled the 18th too, the ninth hole of his round.

LPGA Tour: Top-ranked Shanshan Feng birdied three of her last five holes Wednesday to take the lead after a windy first round of the Lotte Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii.

The Chinese star finished at 5-under 67 at Ko Olina Golf Club.

Brooke Henderson, Haeji Kang and rookie Martina Edberg were a shot back in second.

GETTY IMAGES Luke Donald loses his grip after hitting a drive on No. 8 Thursday on his way to an opening round of 5-over 76.