Varner, Hoge and Sloan share lead at PGA Wyndham C’ship

GREENSBORO: Harold Varner fired eight birdies in shooting an eight-under par 62 that put him in a three-way tie for the first-round lead Thursday at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Varner matched his career-low round on the US PGA Tour and shared the lead with fellow American Tom Hoge and Canadian Roger Sloan.

Varner started the go-low parade at at Sedgefield Country Club with an eight-birdie, no-bogey round that matched his career best on the PGA Tour

Hoge and Sloan, playing together, followed suit later in the round, Hoge also matched his career low on tour, while Sloan’s score set his personal best.

There were 33 players on the course who had not finished when the round was suspended due to bad weather.

Hoge looked like he might have a shot at 59 ater he went eagle-birdie on the 15th and 16th holes to reach 9 under.

But Hoge, who first played on the PGA Tour in 2015 and has never won, missed a 10-footer for birdie on the 17th before his only bogey on No. 18 to drop into the tie.

Sloan had birdies on the 16th and 17th holes and had a chance at 9-under to take the lead alone, but came up short on a 15-foot birdie try on the final hole. The strong start was especially crucial for the 33-year-old Canadian, who came into the tour’s last regular-season event at 178 in Fedex Cup points - well out of the 125 cut off to make next week’s first postseason event, the Northern Trust in Boston.

Sloan is projected to rise into the top 50 should he maintain his position.

“Honestly, I don’t have to do anything,” he said. “I’m very blessed that I have status on the PGA Tour next season. That’s important. I’m going to get starts, I think that frees you up.”

All three leaders are seeking their first tour wins. The trio were two shots in front of Harris English (64). A large group was at 5-under led by former Masters champion Patrick Reed. Past US Open champion Webb Simpson led another pack at 4-under 66. Paul Casey, who tied for second last week at the PGA Championship, was at 67.

Some other PGA Championship contenders last week were not as fortunate.

Both Brooks Koepka and Justin Rose, each in the mix in the final round of the year’s first major, could not keep that going in this one.