Saturday, 12 July 2014 00:00
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Silvis (United States) (AFP): Americans Zach Johnson and Brian Harman and South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini each fired eight-under-par 63s to share the lead after the first round of the $ 4.7 million John Deere Classic.
Sabbatini and Johnson enjoyed bogey-free tours of the TPC Deere Run Thursday while Harman suffered one bogey as all three finished 18 holes one stroke in front of Americans William McGirt and Todd Hamilton, the 2004 British Open champion playing his first PGA round of the year, and Australian Steven Bowditch.
Johnson, ranked 16th and set for next week’s British Open at Hoylake, began on the back nine and birdied six of his first eight holes and eight of his first 11 in the lowest round of his 12 appearances at the event, only a 90-minute drive from his hometown.
A 19-foot birdie putt at the par-3 12th was the longest that Johnson needed in the round thanks to sharp iron play and solid work off the tee on a course where he won in 2012 and lost in a playoff last year to then-teen Jordan Spieth.
Johnson enjoyed seven top-10 showings after his runner-up effort last year, including a win in the US PGA playoffs at the BMW Championship.
