PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — England’s Todd Clements and Spain’s Ivan Cantero Gutierrez every shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday on the breezy Punta Cana Resort to share the first-round lead on the Corales Punta Cana Championship.
Clements and Gutierrez are two of fifty European Tour gamers competing within the co-sanctioned occasion reverse the British Open. Each missed the reduce on the ISCO Championships in Kentucky final week.
“I believe this complete place is only a enjoyable place,” Clements stated. “It is a stress-free setting whenever you come to the venue. I simply had enjoyable. I felt like that confirmed in my golf at this time.”
On a day when winds gusted as much as 32 mph on the Corrales format, Clements made 9 birdies and two bogeys on the par-3 seventeenth gap within the morning session, slowing down his ultimate stroke. He received his solely DP World Tour victory on the 2023 Czech Masters.
“I am actually proud of how I performed at this time,” Clements stated. “We’ll try to iron out a number of tweaks this afternoon, however I’m actually proud of the primary half and searching ahead to tomorrow and what it brings.”
Austin Eckrot was one stroke behind Alejandro Del Rey, Johannes Wiermann, Mackenzie Hughes, Jonathan Byrd and Gordon Sargent. Eckrot, a two-time PGA Tour winner, tied for the Scottish Open on Sunday.
“We went to Scotland final week and had been attempting to qualify for the British Open, and once we discovered we had been coming right here, I assumed, ‘Anyone’s received to win,'” Eckrot stated. “It is an enormous step ahead for the remainder of the season. We received a whole lot of factors and have good momentum.”
Blaise Brown scored a 67 and was a particular substitute.
U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker shot 70 and received the bottom sport in Myrtle Seashore in Might.
Defending champion Garrick Higo shot a 72.
Sangmoon Bae opened with a 77. I performed with a sponsor exemption. He is attempting to get again on observe since his army service in South Korea 10 years in the past.
