Fleetwood & Paisley Get The Rythmn Right With A New Orleans Sizzling 62.

6 years ago by Comments Off on Fleetwood & Paisley Get The Rythmn Right With A New Orleans Sizzling 62.

Good friends Tommy Fleetwood and Chris Paisley got the rythmn right to brilliantly combine to produce a sizzling team score of 62 on the opening day of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

It was Fleetwood who extended the invitation to the 32-year old Paisley to join him in the second edition of the team event being staged on the TPC of Louisiana course.

Their combined 10-under par score in a ‘better ball’ day one format was good enough for a clubhouse share of second place behind the all-American duo of Lucas Glover and Chez Reavie.

Paisley is the reigning BMW SA Open champion having won the very first event on the 2018 European Tour ‘Race to Dubai’ schedule and an event that helped the 32-year old year old qualify for the WGC – Mexico Championship where he shared 32nd place.

Chris Paisley and Tommy Fleetwood combine to shoot a 62 on the opening day of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Paisley’s appearance this week in the $6.2m event is his first on the PGA Tour proper and it’s all thanks to Fleetwood.

“I was happy that he said yes when I asked him to play,” said Fleetwood.

“It does make a difference. When you got on so well and you feel comfortable, it makes a big difference out there. Especially in that team format where you’re not just playing for yourself really.

“So, there is always that little bit of added pressure on it but then having a close friend just makes it a whole lot more easier”.

After heavy rain greeted the two Englishman at the start of their round to force a short delay to play, it was a cloudless warm day when they walked from the course near lunch.

Paisely saved the team at the first in taking par compared to Fleetwood who bogeyed and from thereon it was good teamwork with the pair combining with five birdies from the second to ninth holes to be then leading the field at five-under par.

The duo each birdied 10 and with Fleetwood birding the 12th before the current World No. 12 ranked Fleetwood displayed his enormous class in birding the closing two holes in their combined 10-under par 62.

“Chris played well when it was raining, so that helped,” said Fleetwood.

“We only had a long wait on the 2nd, and after that it was fine. Warmed up nicely and just got going”.

The all-Scotland duo of Martin Laird and Russell Knox are also well-placed in combining for an eight-under par 64 while Ryder Cup team-mates Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell headed to lunch pleased after Poulter birdied his closing three holes for a team total of five-under par 67.

There was the sight of Gold Medal winning Justin Rose peeling off his trousers to play a shot from the water’s edge at the third hole.

And guess who was his playing partner and none other than Rio Games Silver medallist who stripped down to just his boxer shorts in playing a similar shot during a 2009 Tour event at Doral in Florida.

“My partner told me what to do and do you remember Doral?” said Rose smiling.

“He’s not scared of taking his pants off, so he said to me: ‘Get in there'”.

Unfortunately, both players bogeyed the hole.



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