Sahith Theegala left TPC Scottsdale Thursday with the lead of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, although he will have to come back early Friday in order to finish off his opening round.
Theegala, in his first season on the PGA Tour, was at 7 under par through 16 holes when the first round was halted because of darkness with just a handful of players still on the course.
K.H. Lee of South Korea had the lowest score of anybody that finished their first round, shooting a 6-under 65. A group of four tied for third place at 5 under included defending champion Brooks Koepka, Harry Higgs, Scott Stallings and Adam Hadwin of Canada.
Theegala, a three-time All-America selection while also winning a team title while at Pepperdine, opened his round Thursday on the back nine, collecting five birdies over his first seven holes, including four consecutive at Nos. 13-16.
The 24-year-old California native, who entered this week’s event on a sponsor’s exemption, also had birdies at Nos. 3 and 4 after the turn. He had a par save at No. 7 as darkness approached and his round was paused at No. 8 after a chip shot to the green that left him with a lengthy par putt. He will finish that hole early Friday morning.
“It was kind of nice to reset because I actually got a little squirrelly with the driver the last few holes,” Theegala said on the Golf Network broadcast. “I had some really good up-and-downs and kind of got away with some stuff as well. It was kind of a nice reset. I will go beat some balls in the morning, try to get the swing dialed in again and just keep doing what I’m doing.”
Lee, who also opened his round on the back nine, got off to a slow start with two birdies and a bogey on his first nine holes. He then went 4-under over a three-hole stretch from Nos. 2-4, recording an eagle 3 at the par-5 third hole.
At No. 3, Lee put his 239-yard approach shot on the edge of the green and finished off his eagle from 43 feet.
“I mean, great start today, but I have a long way (to go),” Lee said. “Just keep same thing (from) today, like just more putting well and try to be in more good position, try to make it and then see on the weekend.”
Koepka, an eight-time winner on tour who has two PGA Championship and U.S. Open titles apiece, was yet another in the field who had a solid round while starting on the back nine. He mixed four birdies with a bogey over his first nine holes then closed with birdies at Nos. 3 and 9.
“I made some tweaks with the driver,” said Koepka, who is a two-time winner of the event, also wining in 2015. “It’s one thing to do it at home back … and see it perform there, but to actually come out and drive the ball in a tournament and hit it how I wanted to, spin was great, flight was good, shape was great. So that was nice to see.
–Field Level Media