None of the bigger names in the field went super low and most of them — including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka labored toward something around even par just to try and set up a made cut Friday in Round 2.
That likely won’t last all week with several horses behind them picking up some steam over the next few days, but let’s take a look at a nice Round 1 for both of them as well as where the stars sit going into Friday.
Satoshi Kodaira : Jim Furyk’s course record of 58 was never truly in jeopardy, but Kodaira ran it to 8 under early and was incredible despite finishing tepidly.
Spieth won it back in 2017 right before taking the Open Championship, as well, and while Hickok has a long way to go, he had a mental shift early in the event that could make for contention come Sunday.
“I got off to like the worst warmup session of the year this morning and was just hitting it everywhere, and so I really changed my strategy,” Hickok said.
Talor Gooch : The low former Oklahoma State Cowboy and third-lowest on the leaderboard, Gooch putted it worse than anyone else in the top three on this board but he hit his irons wonderfully.
He finished first in the field on Thursday in strokes gained on approach shots and talked after his round about the importance of remaining patient as he’s put in the work on his swing over the last few years.
T9. Sepp Straka, Kevin Stadler, Zach Johnson, Sam Burns, Bubba Watson .
He seems to have rebounded from what plagued him during a bizarre “three missed cuts in four outings” run in the spring, and his name would fit nicely on this list of past champions.
He finished outside the top half in the field in strokes gained off the tee – mostly because of a water ball on the drivable 15th – and anytime that happens for him it’s usually a sign that something has gone very badly.