SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda — Hayden Springer birdied three of his final 4 holes Thursday for a 6-under 65, giving him a share of the lead with Justin Decrease earlier than darkness saved the opening spherical of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship from ending.
Springer wanted a begin like this with solely two tournaments left within the PGA Tour season. He got here to Bermuda at No. 125 within the FedExCup, the cutoff for protecting full standing for 2025.
Decrease is protected at No. 95 and introduced good kind to the island in the midst of the Atlantic, coming off a runner-up end in Mexico final week.
They had been one shot forward of Patrick Rodgers, Joseph Bramlett and Kevin Dougherty, who nonetheless had the 18th gap at Port Royal to play to finish his spherical.
Springer is doing his finest not to consider his place within the FedExCup standings.
“It’s good to get off to begin. I imply, that’s the place you need to be, you need to play nicely on daily basis,” he stated. “I believe I want it as a lot as anyone, so it’s positively good to do this and hopefully it is going to proceed all week.”
Springer has expertise with a quick begin. He posted one in all two sub-60s rounds on the PGA Tour this yr when he opened with a 59 on the John Deere Basic in July. He adopted with a 71 and wound up in a tie for seventh.
“There’s a lot golf left, so it’s simple to sort of get forward of your self,” Springer stated. “That’s actually the primary factor I sort of discovered at John Deere. I received just a little rattled on my again 9 on Friday. I began to sort of give it some thought and the place I used to be positioned. I believe that’s the largest factor is simply don’t assume an excessive amount of about it and play golf.”
Decrease was within the first group earlier than the standard robust wind at Port Royal gained some drive. He began on the again 9 and performed bogey-free.
Springer did nicely to catch him. He holed a protracted birdie putt on the fifteenth that he known as a bonus, made it via the scary par-3 sixteenth alongside the ocean, took benefit of getting the wind at his again on the par-5 seventeenth after which received an amazing roll off the slope on the 18th, the ball setting about 6 ft away for a ultimate birdie.
Decrease can solely hope some latest historical past is on his aspect. A yr in the past, Camilo Villegas completed second in Mexico, after which adopted with a win in Bermuda.
“Crossed my thoughts, for positive,” Decrease stated. “However we nonetheless have 54 holes to go. We have now very unpredictable climate aside from tomorrow — Saturday from what I’ve seen appears fairly depressing. However yeah, I’m feeling superb after final week and just a little decided after developing a shot brief. Simply doing what I can.”
The group at 67 included Kevin Kisner, enduring a tough yr as he tries to kind out his sport whereas spending a while within the NBC broadcast sales space. Additionally at 67 was Jhonattan Vegas, one in all solely three gamers within the area who have already got locked up a spot within the Masters.
Vegas was everywhere, making just one par in his opening 12 holes — seven birdies and 4 bogeys on the opposite holes — till settling down.
“It was just a little little bit of a curler coaster for positive,” Vegas stated.
Lucas Glover, at No. 48 the one participant from the highest 50 on this planet in Bermuda, was within the massive group at 68.
Twenty-one gamers will conclude their first rounds Friday morning earlier than a fast turnaround for the subsequent spherical.
