PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Todd Clements birdied 4 of his final six holes and shot a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke lead Friday on the windy Corales Punta Cana Championship.
The 29-year-old Briton is one in all 50 European Tour gamers to compete within the co-sanctioned occasion reverse the British Open.
“You simply attempt to preserve doing the identical factor,” Clements mentioned. “We have got some nice gamers on this discipline and we all know golf does some attention-grabbing issues. We simply should preserve doing what we’re purported to do and management what we’re making an attempt to regulate and see if we will exit and do the identical job.”
He made a 6-meter birdie putt on the par-3 ninth gap to enhance to 13-under 131.
“I learn it properly and ran the precise velocity, so I used to be joyful to see it fall,” Clements mentioned. “Total it was an awesome day.”
Clements received his solely DP World Tour victory on the 2023 Czech Masters. He missed out on a spot on the ISCO Championships in Kentucky final week.
Ben James, Johannes Wiermann and Gordon Sargent tied for second place. James had a 66 and Viermann and Sargent had 67s.
This might be James’ fifth skilled begin. The previous Virginia star earned his tour spot via the PGA Tour College Rankings.
“Simply doing just about the identical factor, making good photographs and making good putts,” James mentioned of the weekend. “That is it. Hold it easy.”
Spain’s Alejandro Del Rey is 10 below with a 68, and Joe Highsmith is 9 below with a 67.
Ivan Cantero Gutierrez, who tied with Clements for the lead within the first spherical, shot a 71 and moved right into a tie for seventh place with 8 below.
Blaze Brown was additionally in the identical group at 8 below par. Brown, 19, who was enjoying as a particular short-term member of the PGA Tour, shot a 69.
U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker shot a 68 to tie for twentieth place at 6 below. He received the Reverse Area occasion in Myrtle Seashore in Could.
