Two tied for lead at Zurich Classic

AVONDALE, La. — Brice Garnett and Scott Stallings birdied eight of their last 11 holes, Viktor Hovland and Kris Ventura birdied nine of their final 12, and both teams shot 10-under 62 in Zurich Classic to share the firstround lead Thursday.

“Kris decided to heat up his putter. That really helped,” Hovland said. “But I felt like we really played solid golf all 18 holes.”

Ventura made a 36-foot birdie putt from the fringe on 15 and a 19-footer on 16 for his seventh and final birdie of the day in the best-ball format played on the first and third rounds. Players will alternate shots in the second and final rounds.

Garnett hit approach shots within 7 feet on the first, second, fourth and fifth holes and made all four birdie putts after his team made the turn following a back-nine start. Stallings’ birdie putt from nearly 18 feet on the eighth hole pulled his team into a tie atop the leaderboard. In other golf news:

• Jessica Korda shot a 6-under 65 in the HUGEL Air Premia LA Open to break the tournament 36-hole scoring record and increase her lead to three strokes.

A day after matching the Wilshire Country Club tournament record with a 64, Korda opened her bogey-free morning round with birdies on three of her first four holes. At 13-under 129, she broke the event mark of 8 under set by Moriya Jutanugarn in 2018.

Top-ranked Jin Young Ko was second after a 65. Fellow South Korean star Sei Young Kim was nine under after shooting a 66 in the round.