Scheffler under par again in Houston
One shot off lead after opening 65
Scottie Scheffler had his 28th consecutive round under par to start the year, a 5-under 65 on Thursday that left him one shot behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr in the Houston Open.
Scheffler also extended his streak to 49 holes without a bogey dating to the third round of The Players Championship two weeks ago, where he became the first back-to-back winner in the 50 years of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.
The streak that matters is his bid for a third straight PGA Tour victory, a feat last accomplished seven years ago by Dustin Johnson.
That also was the last thing on Scheffler’s mind at Memorial Park, his final tournament before he heads to the Masters as a strong favorite.
“I don’t ever really put expectations on myself,” Scheffler said. “I try to be committed to my shots. I try to stay patient out there. At the beginning of the week, I’m not looking forward toward Sunday. I’m just focused on today.”
Moore came up short of the first hole and missed a 6-foot par putt. That was his lone mistake. He pitched in for eagle on the par-5 third and was on his way, getting up-and-down on the 18th for a 64.
Furr matched him late in the day, holing out from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 fifth and closing with birdies on the par-5 eighth and par-3 ninth — making a 20-footer on 9.
The 25-year-old former Alabama player is in his first season on the PGA Tour after earning a card last year on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Scheffler was a stroke back with Joe Highsmith and Davis Riley.
Canadians Adam Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes were at 66 with Alejandro Tosti, Aaron Rai and Beau Hossler. Peter Malnati, coming off a victory last week at the Valspar Championship in Florida, shot 68.
Korda seeking third straight LPGA win
Nelly Korda shot a 6-under 66 in the first round of the Ford Championship on Thursday, leaving her three shots back in a bid to win three straight LPGA Tour starts.
A week after brutal wind outside Los Angeles in the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, ideal scoring conditions greeted the players in the inaugural event at Seville Golf and Country Club.
Pajaree Anannarukan took advantage with a bogey-free, 9-under 63 after starting on the back nine at the 6,734-yard course in suburban Phoenix. She had a one-shot lead over Lilia Vu, Gabriela Ruffels, Isa Gabsa and former Arizona State players Azahara Munoz and Carlota Ciganda.
The top-ranked Korda opened with four birdies in five holes and closed with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th as she tries to become the first LPGA player to win three straight starts since Ariya Jutanugarn in 2016.