The Players: Chad Ramey shocks leader on Collin Morikawa as Rory McIlroy struggles at TPC Sawgrass | Golf News

Collin Morikawa is second and world No. 2 Scottie Scheffler is lower than 4 off the lead, with Rory McIlroy 12 strokes off the tempo for a gap 76; Watch the second spherical reside Friday from 11:30 a.m. Sky Sports activities Golfwith extra streams by way of the pink button

Chad Ramey eclipsed the most important names on the PGA Tour to assert a shock lead after the primary spherical of The Gamers, the place Rory McIlroy suffered a nightmarish begin in his bid to return to world No. 1.

Ramey – who had missed the lower in seven of his earlier 10 PGA Tour begins – ripped by means of the shape information as he shot an excellent bogey-free 64 at TPC Sawgrass, with eight birdies serving to the American to a bonus of a knock on two-time large winner Collin Morikawa.

A 3-birder end from late starter Ben Griffin propelled him to a share of third on 5 beneath alongside Canada’s Justin Suh and Taylor Pendrith, with Scottie Scheffler on 4 events after outplaying Jon Rahm and McIlroy of their group morning lighthouse.

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Rory McIlroy struggled to get a four-over 76 within the first spherical of The Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Scheffler birdied on three of his final 4 holes to attain a 68 within the first spherical and present world No. 1 Rahm sits seven instances after a one-under 71, whereas McIlroy is at risk of lacking the lower after double-bogeying his opening gap and including 4 bogeys in a irritating four-over 76.

How Ramey progressed at TPC Sawgrass

Ramey adopted three birdies in his first 5 holes by draining a 30-footer on the par 4 seventh, serving to him attain the 32 flip, then continued his progress by beginning his again 9 with successive birdies.

The world No. 225 ended a streak of pars by profiting from the sixteenth par 5 and took the solo lead when he fired his tee shot on the enduring par three subsequent to the hitting vary, earlier than to signal his default-free card with two distance putts on the final.

“Not simple in any respect,” Ramey stated. “I may need made it appear like this, nevertheless it wasn’t simple in any respect. It was enjoyable, the primary time to attain on such an iconic course like this – you do not cannot ask for extra.”

Morikawa held absolutely the benefit earlier within the day after mixing up 5 birdies with an outstanding eagle at par 5 seconds, the place he fired his method lower than a yard from the flag, whereas Suh made a late cost for the lead when he posted 5 birdies in a five-hole stretch from the seventh to affix the group tied for third.

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Highlights of Collin Morikawa’s very good 65 (-7) within the first spherical of the Gamers Championship.

Restricted daylight in Florida meant the final teams have been unable to complete earlier than play was suspended on account of darkness at 6:28 p.m. native time (11:28 p.m. BST), with Suh amongst those that should return on Friday to complete .

Blended fortunes for golf stars

Scheffler is joined within the four-under group by Min Woo Lee, who bogeyed his remaining two holes after struggling cramp late in his spherical, with Jordan Spieth beginning his again 9 with three straight birdies en path to a 3 beneath 69.

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Hayden Buckley added his identify to the roster to hit an ace on the enduring seventeenth gap at TPC Sawgrass when he landed his tee shot Thursday at The Gamers Championship.

Xander Schauffele struggled after being 4 over with eight holes to play to card a stage 72, with England trio Danny Willett, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton additionally in that eight-paced group, whereas Hayden Buckley needed to accept an open-round 73 regardless of an excellent hole-in-one on the par-three seventeenth.

McIlroy blended two birdies with 4 bogeys and a double bogey on a irritating opening day, leaving him 12 within the lead, with simply 9 gamers posting a complete greater than the four-time main champion within the morning wave.

Watch The Gamers all through the week reside on Sky Sports activities. Stay protection continues from 11.30am on Friday on Sky Sports activities Golf, with a number of extra streams obtainable by way of the pink button.