Par takes huge beating in 1st round at Travelers
Johnson Wagner says he could shoot a 61 while playing the TPC River Highlands on his old Sega Genesis video game as a kid.
The actual course didn't give Wagner much more of a challenge Thursday in the Travelers Championship at Cromwell, Conn., when he shot a 6-under 64 to match Steve Lowery, Brad Adamonis and Englishman Brian Davis for the first-round lead.
With temperatures hovering in the low 70s and soft greens from rain Wednesday night, conditions set up nicely for the field.
Seven players were a shot back at 65, and another 16 shot 66s. Of the 156 players, 104 shot under par.
"We had no wind and it was just kind of there for the taking today with it being so soft," Wagner said. "But get a little wind and get this place firm and it's all you can ask for, so I'm happy to get a good round when I needed to."
Wagner, who is looking for his second career victory after winning in Houston earlier this season, eagled the 296-yard 15th after hitting his approach shot within 18 inches of the pin.
Lowery also won this year, at Pebble Beach in February. He was the first leader in the clubhouse Thursday after playing his first golf in almost two weeks.
Wegmans LPGA: Japan's Ai Miyazato, celebrating her 23rd birthday, shot a 4-under 68 to join Cristie Kerr and five South Korean players atop the crowded leaderboard at the Wegmans LPGA at Rochester, N.Y.
Jeong Jang, Inbee Park, Song-Hee Kim, Jimin Jeong and Soo-Yun Kang, who holed a 9-wood shot for an ace on the 165-yard seventh hole, also shot 68s. Morgan Pressel, Becky Lucidi, Sweden's Helen Alfredsson and South Korea's Hee-Won Han, Na On Min, Kyeong Bae and Young-A Yang opened with 69s.
BMW International Open: Australia's Peter O'Malley shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 for a share of the lead in the BMW International Open at Munich, Germany.
O'Malley shared the top spot with South Africa's Anton Haig, Singapore's Mardan Mamat and Argentina's Rafa Echenique.
American John Daly, the 2001 BMW International winner, had 2 double bogeys, a bogey and 2 birdies on Nos. 13-17 en route to a 72.