Bobby Wyatt leads Web.com Tour Finals opener
BEACHWOOD, Ohio (AP) - Bobby Wyatt took a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau on Thursday in the rain-delayed DAP Championship, the inaugural tournament that opens the four-event Web.com Tour Finals.
Wyatt closed with a birdie for a 7-under 63 at Canterbury Golf Club.
"Did a lot of things well and I have a lot of things to build on for tomorrow," Wyatt said. "Hit it really well, gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities, not sure I missed too many greens. Anytime you can do that, especially on a course like this where the rough is pretty penal, it gives you a big boost."
DeChambeau, the former SMU player who swept the 2015 NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles, birdied the final two holes for a 64.
"It was a lot of fun out there," DeChambeau said. "Hit the ball a lot better than I have been. I still drove it a little poor. Had a couple duck hooks, which is never fun, but got through that, made some pars on those holes and made a lot of putts. I made a huge putt on 17. If it doesn't hit the hole, it goes almost off the green. I was lucky enough to make that and, lo and behold, I birdied 18 as well."
D.A. Points and Zack Sucher shot 65, and Stuart Appleby, Ted Potter Jr. and John Mallinger followed at 66. None of the afternoon starters were able to complete the round that was delayed for more than three hours because of rain and suspended for the day at 6:58 p.m. when another storm rolled in.
The four-event series features the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour money list, Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings and non-members such as Wyatt and DeChambeau who earned enough money to have placed in the top 200 had they been eligible.
The top 25 players on the Web.com Tour regular-season money list earned PGA Tour cards. They are competing against each other for tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals. The other players are fighting for 25 cards based on series earnings.
Wyatt was fourth in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in May, earning $336,000 of his season total of $353,348 that week.
"Unfortunately, I didn't play very well after that, but it was enough to get me into here and to give me this opportunity here to get where I want to be," said Wyatt, the former Alabama player who shot a 57 at age 17 in the 2010 Alabama Boys State Junior Championship.
Andrew "Beef" Johnston had a 68. The Englishman was eighth in the British Open and is 15th on the European Tour money list.
Wesley Bryan shot 71. He topped the Web.com regular-season money list and won three times to earn an immediate PGA Tour promotion.
Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton, PGA Tour winner Camilo Villegas and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat were among the late starters. Compton was even par through nine holes, Villegas 2 over through 13, and Aphibarnrat 5 over after 10.