THURSDAY ON THE LINKS More pro golf results
AT&T BYRON NELSON
IRVING, TEXAS
James Hahn birdied the final hole Thursday for a 6-under 64 and a share of the first-round lead with Ricky Barnes in the AT&T Byron Nelson. Matt Kuchar, Jhonattan Vegas, Jason Kokrak and Cameron Tringale shot 66, and top-ranked Dustin Johnson topped the group at 67, a stroke ahead of fourth-ranked Jason Day and Jordan Spieth, the No. 6 player competing in his hometown event. Masters and defending Nelson champion Sergio Garcia had three bogeys on the front nine and just one birdie in a 73 that left him tied for 93rd. Brooks Koepka, who lost to Garcia on the first playoff hole at the TPC Four Seasons a year ago, joined Johnson and five others at 67.
KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP
WILLIAMSBURG, VA.
Lexi Thompson had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch and finished with a 6-under 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship. Playing her third tournament since losing the ANA Inspiration in a playoff after being penalized four strokes for a rules violation that a TV viewer spotted, Thompson had a one-stroke lead over U.S. Solheim Cup teammates Gerina Piller and Brittany Lincicome and young American Angel Yin. Thompson played her opening nine in even par with a birdie on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 17, then birdied No. 1 and Nos. 3-7 on Kingsmill Resort’s River Course. Top-ranked Lydia Ko was two strokes back at 67 along with Sarah Jane Smith and Giulia Molinaro. Defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn shot a 72.
THE REGIONS TRADITION
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
Scott McCarron eagled the par-5 18th hole for a 7-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead Thursday in the Regions Tradition, the first of the PGA Tour Champions’ five majors.
Lee Janzen, Jeff Sluman and Miguel Angel Jimenez joined McCarron atop the leaderboard at Greystone. Sluman and Jimenez closed with birdies, and Janzen had a run of six birdies and a bogey from holes 10-17. McCarron was left with a short eagle putt after his approach bounced off the grandstand on No. 18. Kenny Perry, the 2014 winner, was a stroke back along with David Frost, Fred Funk, Scott Parel, Marco Dawson and Tommy Armour III. Defending champion Bernhard Langer opened with a 69. John Daly, coming off a victory in the Insperity Invitational, shot a 71.
Associated Press