Ryan Brehm hole-in-one to share lead with Stephan Jaeger and Adam Schenk at Valspar Championship | Golf News

Ryan Brehm scores a hole-in-one and takes a share of the lead with Stephan Jaeger and Adam Schenk at 66 after the primary spherical of the Valspar Championship on Thursday; Jordan Spieth, again at Innisbrook for the primary time in 5 years, is on 67 with Tommy Fleetwood making 68

Ryan Brehm turned a superb spherical right into a memorable one on Thursday, hole-in-one on the par-3 seventeenth gap at Innisbrook for a five-under 66 that led to a three-way share of the Valspar Championship lead.

Stephan Jaeger additionally had a 66, whereas Adam Schenk joined them with the afternoon’s lowest rating on the Copperhead course.

Jordan Spieth, returning to Innisbrook for the primary time in 5 years, had a bogey-free journey and was notably sharp with the putter, making birdie putts from 60ft and 30ft on his method to a 67. Additionally at 67 have been former United States Open champion Lucas Glover and Maverick McNealy.

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Ryan Brehm wins par-3 seventeenth on the 2023 Valspar Championship.

It’s Brehm’s first lead since profitable the Puerto Rico Open final 12 months in his final begin to attempt to retain a PGA Tour card. It hasn’t been the best street since then. Brehm has made simply three cuts this season – together with one in Kapalua – and is coming off a second-round 80 final week at The Gamers Championship.

“We have been working for a short while since making an attempt to get again into fine condition, and I hope [I’ve] confirmed indicators of excellent play,” he mentioned.

His ace got here with a 6-iron from 196 yards, and he closed with a par. It was his eleventh time within the 60s in 43 rounds on the PGA Tour this season.

Jaeger had seven birdies within the morning, which began with temperatures chilly sufficient for some gamers to put on beanies and additional layers.

Schenk completed his spherical with a par 10-foot save on the par-3 eighth gap, then after going from bunker to bunker on the ninth, made a par putt from 5 toes.

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Tommy Fleetwood says he was blissful together with his placing within the first spherical of the Valspar Championship.

Tommy Fleetwood was at 68, whereas the group at 69 included two-time defending champion Sam Burns and Justin Thomas, who at No. 10 is the highest-ranked participant on the courtroom.

Scoring is rarely notably low at Innisbrook, which is extremely considered a match course with tree-lined fairways, elevation, and never as a lot water as many programs in Florida.

“I am not comfy there in any respect, however I do not suppose anyone actually is – possibly Sam Burns; he is received it a couple of occasions,” Brehm mentioned.

“However I believe it is a good take a look at of golf. Golf is not presupposed to be straightforward, I do not suppose, and the course does a superb job of creating you suppose.”

Nobody had a harder begin than US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

Ryan Brehm had a superb day within the first spherical of the Valspar Championship

On the third gap, Fitzpatrick shot his tee shot out of bounds. His third shot from the tee discovered the water, and after a penalty drop, he discovered himself in need of the bunker, then from there in need of the inexperienced . He added a 9, and he adopted with consecutive bogeys.

Fitzpatrick got here out in 42, and he bounced again with a 32. Even so, he entered the Valspar Championship after lacking three cuts in his final 5 tournaments.

Spieth hasn’t been in a position to match Innisbrook into his schedule because the Gamers Championship returned in March, however he needed to return this 12 months. That is his fourth match in 5 weeks, with Match Play subsequent week.

Earlier than getting a card, Spieth contributed on the seventeenth gap and tied on the seventh gap which earned him a particular momentary membership on the PGA Tour. Two years later, he received the Valspar Championship within the playoffs by making a 30-foot birdie putt. It was 2015, the 12 months he received the Masters and the US Open.

This spherical was principally about his putt, the lengthy birdies and, simply as essential, numerous mid-length putts that stored his spherical going. Spieth solely hit 5 fairways.

“With solely blows [five] fairways, you try this round that spot and shoot below par, it is fairly strong,” Spieth mentioned.

“I managed to do a couple of extras with the putter at this time. I really feel like my placing labored the place I actually needed it to.”

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