Greensboro, NC …
Henrik Stenson was in sizzling form producing his lowest score of his PGA Tour career of an eight-under par 62 in meltdown conditions on the opening day of the Wyndham Championship.
Stenson birdied four of his opening nine holes and repeated the effort over his inward half to end the day trailing just one shot behind American Matt Every who went within one shot of matching the Sedgefield Country Club course record with his nine-under par 61.
Six players, including formerU.S. Open winning Webb Simpson and 23-year old Aussie sensation, Cameron Smith share third place at seven under par in temperatures nudging 91 degrees Fahrenheit and with close to 70% humidity.
In fact, all but 55 players failed to break par in temperatures nudging 91 F or 32 C and with the humidity close to 70% that tested the patience of all in the $US 5.8m field.
World No. 9 Henrik Stenson sizzles takinng just 26 putts in his lowest score on the PGA Tour of an eight under par 62.
Stenson arrived in Greesnboro having not contested the event since 2012 when illness forced him out following round one while he had missed the cut in the two years prior in 2011 and 2010.
However the current World No. 6 and the top-ranked in the final event of the regular 2017/18 PGA Tour wraparound season certainly made ammend and in a round that included just 26 putts.
“I don’t want to be greedy but I played lovely in the Pro-Am yesterday to be fair, I hit it even better in the Pro-Am and felt really good,” he said.
“I didn’t quite get the striking to the same standards today. Wasn’t far away. Hit a lot of good shots out there, got the blade going and made some really good putts.
“Also, I guess my game is slightly better shape than it has been some of the other times when I’ve shown up here. It’s kind of — it’s a great tournament but the position is right in between these big events and into the Playoffs.
“I’ve had it to add a few occasions. Couple of the times when I’ve been here I haven’t been playing well at all.
“Certainly I felt like I would have a better chance this year to do myself justice on here and I certainly got off to a good start.”
Stenson has previously recorded four rounds of 63 and the last being on the final day of last year’s Open Championship and in the process becoming he first Swedish-born male golfer to win a Major.
And Stenson revealed an Open Championship connection to his superb first day scoring display.
“I left the driver out of my bag and even though it weird when I look down at my clubs, I left it sitting in the locker room,” he said.
“So, I put my strong 3-wood, 4-wood and driving iron that I normally use at The Open Championship in the bag for this week.
“I just love to hit those off the tee in certain position between 270 yards to 300 yards and those three clubs kind of put me in that position, and from there on you can attack a lot of times with those kind of mid irons.
“So, it’s been a good round and a good start, and I am now hoping for more of the same”.
