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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Chris Gotterup appears to have discovered TPC Scottsdale, giving him an opportunity to lastly see the Saturday spectacle of the Phoenix Open.
Prime-ranked Scottie Scheffler might want to go low in his subsequent spherical if he’ll get to the weekend.
Gotterup shot a bogey-free 8-under 63 to take a two-shot lead Thursday within the first spherical of the Phoenix Open on a uncommon day when Scheffler struggled.
“I do not know if the course has modified in any respect,” stated Gotterup, who missed the lower in his two earlier journeys to TPC Scottsdale. “I simply really feel like I have been enjoying higher and managing my sport higher. We had been flying again from TGL and I used to be like, I must see Saturday right here this week.”
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Gotterup will get his probability after a heat day — even for the desert — that produced some lengthy drives and low scores.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick matched the back-nine document with a 29 to shoot 65. Sam Stevens was amongst a bunch of 4 gamers at 66 and 26 gamers shot 68 or higher earlier than play was suspended due to darkness.
Scheffler was not amongst these going low. The four-time participant of the yr flubbed two chip photographs that rolled again to his toes throughout a 2-over 73 that put his streak of 65 cuts in jeopardy.
Brooks Koepka additionally struggled. The five-time main champion had only one birdie in a 75 in his second event since being reinstated by the PGA Tour.
Gotterup, 26, shot a final-round 64 in season-opening Sony Open on Oahu for his third victory in three PGA Tour seasons. He tied for 18th at Torrey Pines final week.
He jump-started his spherical Thursday by rolling in a 27-foot eagle putt from simply off the inexperienced on the par-5 thirteenth gap. He soaked up the boozy roars on the stadium par-3 sixteenth by pouring in a 7-footer for his third straight birdie and added one other on 18 to make the flip in 6-under 30.
Gotterup two-putted for birdie on the par-5 third and added a 26-footer on the lengthy par-3 seventh to match the opening 63 he had in Hawaii.
“I really feel like I am doing issues nicely and considering via issues nicely, and I feel that is a very powerful factor,” Gotterup stated. “I would not say in the present day I drove it my finest or did something, (however) I putted nice.”
Fitzpatrick opened with birdies on Nos. 10 and 11, then reeled after a run of 5 straight beginning on No. 13. He shot 7 below to tie back-nine document with seven others and added one other birdie on the par-5 third earlier than stumbling to the end with two closing bogeys.
The 2022 U.S. Open champion has not received for the reason that 2023 RBC Heritage at Hilton Head.
“If somebody would’ve stated right here is 6 below to start out day and I can keep in mattress, I might’ve snatched your hand off,” Fitzpatrick stated. “I am in a superb place to start out with and hopefully kick on.”
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