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 stored 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 secure 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 have 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 a very good begin. I imply, that’s the place you need to be, you need to play nicely day by day,” he mentioned. “I believe I would like it as a lot as anyone, so it’s positively good to try 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 Traditional in July. He adopted with a 71 and wound up in a tie for seventh.
“There’s a lot golf left, so it’s straightforward to type of get forward of your self,” Springer mentioned. “That’s actually the primary factor I type of discovered at John Deere. I acquired a bit of rattled on my again 9 on Friday. I began to type of give it some thought and the place I used to be positioned. I believe that’s the largest factor is simply don’t suppose an excessive amount of about it and play golf.”
Decrease was within the first group earlier than the everyday sturdy wind at Port Royal gained some pressure. 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 by way of the scary par-3 sixteenth alongside the ocean, took benefit of getting the wind at his again on the par-5 seventeenth after which acquired an important roll off the slope on the 18th, the ball setting about 6 ft away for a remaining birdie.
Decrease can solely hope some latest historical past is on his facet. 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 mentioned. “However we nonetheless have 54 holes to go. We’ve very unpredictable climate aside from tomorrow — Saturday from what I’ve seen appears to be like fairly depressing. However yeah, I’m feeling excellent after final week and a bit of decided after arising 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 recreation 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 far and wide, making just one par in his opening 12 holes — seven birdies and 4 bogeys on the opposite holes — till settling down.
“It was a bit of little bit of a curler coaster for positive,” Vegas mentioned.
Lucas Glover, at No. 48 the one participant from the highest 50 on this planet in Bermuda, was within the giant group at 68.
Twenty-one gamers will conclude their first rounds Friday morning earlier than a fast turnaround for the subsequent spherical.
