Werenski has first-day lead at 3M Open

BLAINE, Minnesota — Richy Werenski made a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th for an 8-under 63 and the first-round lead Thursday in the 3M Open. Dustin Johnson withdrew because of a back injury after a 78.

Werenski, 24, is winless on the PGA Tour and ranked 248th in the world. He broke a tie with Michael Thompson with his ninth and last birdie on the warm, windy afternoon at the TPC Twin Cities. Defending champion Matthew Wolff, Tony Finau, Nick Watney, Ryan Moore, Xinjun Zhang and Max Homa were tied for third at 65.

Johnson’s departure further depleted the star power of the second edition of the event that landed right after the Memorial and right before the World Golf Championship and the PGA Championship following the pandemic-forced reshuffling of the schedule. Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Finau were the only entrants in the top 25 of the world ranking. This tournament, like all the others since golf’s restart, is being played without spectators.

Johnson’s win at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, last month did not spark a post-shutdown surge for the world No. 4. After posting back-to-back 80s last week at the Memorial for the highest 36-hole score of his pro career, Johnson’s first appearance at the 3M Open north of Minneapolis lasted just one round.

At the end of his first nine, Johnson started the 599-yard, dog-leg 18th hole with a solid drive off the tee. With 209 yards to get to the flag, he used his sixiron for a shot — “perfect,” he said — that was swallowed up in the pond just short of the rough.

“I hit it right at it and never once did I think it was going to go in the water,” said Johnson.

His next two tries met the same fate. Three penalty strokes later, Johnson finally landed his ball on the green for a tap-in putt and a quadruple-bogey nine on the scorecard. “I just struggled with my iron play, and that makes it difficult,” he said.