Former major champion Wyndham Clark grabbed the early lead at the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open, as world No 1 Scottie Scheffler bounced back from a slow start in Arizona.
Clark fired seven birdies in a bogey-free 64 at TPC Scottsdale, his lowest opening round on the PGA Tour since his 2023 US Open success, to move one ahead of compatriots Lee Hodges and Taylor Moore.
The world No 7, who missed the cut at the American Express and struggled in last week’s title defence at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, rolled in an eight-foot birdie at the first and started a run of four consecutive birdies by holing from 15 feet at the eighth.
Wyndham Clark carded an opening-round 64 to set the early pace in Phoenix
Clark also birdied both par-fives on the back nine and recovered from finding water off the tee at the driveable par-four 17th to save par, with a closing par leaving him seven under and holding a first-round lead for the first time since The Players last March.
“You can’t necessarily control the score and what happens to your golf ball, but you can control your thoughts,” Clark said. “It was a good reminder for me to get back to, hey, when I’m playing my best, I look at the glass more half full than I do half empty.”
Hodges recovered from two bogeys in his first four holes to card two eagles and four birdies in his opening-round 66, with Moore – also starting on the back nine – briefly leading before dropping tied-second when he bogeyed the fourth and finished with five consecutive pars.
Sepp Straka saw a drive go a remarkable 404 yards after a fortunate bounce off a cart path during his opening round at the WM Phoenix Open
Justin Thomas is in the group of six players sitting two strokes back that contains European Ryder Cup player Nicolai Hojgaard, while Thomas Detry was within three of the lead with one hole to finish when play was suspended at 6.13pm local time due to darkness.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and former world No 1 Jordan Spieth both card three-under 68, as pre-tournament favourite Scheffler recovered from an erratic opening stretch to salvage an opening-round 69.
Scheffler dropped a shot at the first, three-putted for par at the downwind par-five third and shanked a bunker shot on his way to a bogey at the par-four fifth, before cancelling out a birdie at the sixth by dropping a shot at the ninth.
The two-time Phoenix Open champion holed out from a fairway bunker to eagle at the par-four tenth but double-bogeyed the par-three 12th after hitting his tee shot into the water, leaving him two over for his round with six to play.
Watch this incredible shot from Scottie Scheffler, where he claimed an eagle with a hole-out from the fairway bunker at the par-four 10th
Scheffler birdied the par-five next and rolled in an eight-foot eagle at the par-five 15th to get back under par, with the reigning Masters champion then getting up and down for birdie at the par-four 17th.
There were nine players unable to complete their round before play was suspended, with the first round resuming at 8.15am local time on Friday (3.15pm UK time). The second round will begin as scheduled at 7.20am (2.20pm UK time).
Watch the WM Phoenix Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Early coverage continues on Friday from 2.15pm on Sky Sports Golf ahead of full coverage from 9pm. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
