Simpson’s 9-under 61 leads PGA event in West Va.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.VA. » Webb Simpson ran out of sensational shots in the end to keep him from joining an elite group.
Simpson shot a 9-under-par 61 for a one-stroke lead over Whee Kim after the first round of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in West Virginia on Thursday.
Simpson posted his best career score after shaking off a two-hour weather delay with six holes left in his round. He came up short in his bid to shoot the eighth sub-60 round on the PGA Tour. Needing birdies on the par-5 17th and the par-3 18th for a 59, he parred both.
“I knew a 59 was in there, but it’s all right,” Simpson said. “Great start. Scores were good though, so you’ve got to keep the pedal down.”
Kim had back-to-back bogeys on the front nine on the Old White TPC, and then ran off five birdies over a seven-hole stretch. The South Korean had 10 birdies overall and shot 62. Teenager Joaquin Niemann of Chile was another stroke back at 7-under 63.
Kelly Kraft shot 64 while Jason Kokrak, Keegan Bradley and J.J. Henry were at 65.
Playing in the afternoon, Simpson had three consecutive birdies around the turn, then chipped in for eagle on the par-5 12th to move to 7 under. A few minutes later, the horn sounded stopping play just as he was hitting his tee shot on the par-4 13th. The shot landed on a hillside.
“Momentum is a funny thing, but I should feel good when I got back out there,” Simpson said during the delay.
After play resumed, Simpson’s pitch from the hill went across the 13th fairway into tall fescue. His approach shot landed 3 feet from the pin and he escaped with par. He added birdies on the par-4 14th and 16th holes.
Simpson, whose four-shot victory at The Players Championship in May was his first win in more than four years, has seen his share of chances in West Virginia before. He finished third in 2014 and lost a one-stroke lead on the back nine in the final round in 2011 and 2012.
Kirk shoots 10-under 62 for 1st round LPGA lead
ONEIDA, WIS. » Defending champion Katherine Kirk shot a 10-under-par 62 to take the first-round lead at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.
Kirk wasted no time in picking up from where she left off last year, when she snapped a seven-year, 152-tournament victory drought in the inaugural edition of the Classic. Starting on the back nine, Kirk opened with three consecutive birdies and ended her day with a perfect wedge into the par-5 ninth for a tap-in birdie.
“Obviously, I know you can go low out there, so stepping onto the first tee, I said, ‘Let’s play aggressively and make as many birdies as possible,’” she said. “Thankfully, it worked out. Having shot 9-under last year and I knew the conditions were going to be perfect this morning . ... ”
Kirk needed to keep her foot on the gas because 21 players shot 6-under or better. Sei Young Kim was a stroke behind at 63, and Brittany Marchand and Megan Khang were tied at 64.
Rahm shoots 74, already 7 strokes off pace
DONEGAL, IRELAND » Defending champion Jon Rahm made backto-back double bogeys around the turn in shooting a 2-over 74 in the opening round of the Irish Open, leaving the world No. 5 seven shots behind leader Ryan Fox.
Fox rolled in six birdies in a 67, continuing his impressive form in the prestige Rolex Series events on the European Tour since they were introduced last season.