When the wind doesn’t blow in Bermuda, the Port Royal Golf Club is there for the taking and it was taken on Thursday’s first round of the Bermuda Championship.
Austin Smotherman, who finished his rookie year at No. 137 in the FedEx Cup last year, shot a career-best nine-under par 62. Despite that 137th finish, Smotherman kept his Tour card thanks to the LIV defections.
Like most of the field, he was prepared for a windy day at Port Royal but the winds failed to show up. He had a nice, calm morning and responded with a bogey free card with nine birdies.
In the afternoon, he was joined at the top by Aussie Harrison Endycott, who played the Korn Ferry Tour last season. Endycott got off to a rough start with back-to-back bogeys but by day’s end added seven birdies and two eagles to his scorecard. “I don’t think we’re going to get too many rounds out here with no wind,” Endycott said of the totally calm conditions.
Arjun Atwal was a surprise contender, he was one of four players a shot back at 63.
Atwal went to Bermuda without having competed in the three month since his father died and without a spot in the field. He got in as an alternate.
Adam Schenk was one of the four at 63. He missed his flight to Bermuda on Monday because he left his clubs at home. A late arrival didn’t hurt his day one effort.
It’s a pretty sparse field — there only one player in the top 50 in the world rankings yet nearly three-quarters of the 132-man field broke 70 on the course that measures short of 6,900 yards.
That top 50 player is world No. 48 Seamus Power, who opened with a 65.
Grayson Murray Injured In Scooter Crash:
Last season was a tough one for Grayson Murray and thinks got worse for him in Bermuda this week.
Murray was riding a scooter earlier in the week and was involved in a three-car collision and suffered a rash of injuries that knocked him out of the Bermuda Championship.
Murray was knocked unconscious and received 50 stitches, with 25 on his face. He may have suffered ligament damage in his knee and plans to see a specialist when he returns to his home in North Carolina on Friday. There is an on-going investigation into the accident.
After stepping away from golf last year to address mental-health and substance-abuse issues, the 2017 Barbasol Classic winner returned to the Tour in February, with his best finish a T-13 in Mexico.
He failed to save his Tour card at the Korn Ferry Tour finals.
Daly Rides Cart, Shoots 71:
If you look far enough down the Bermuda scoreboard, you’ll see John Daly shot an even-par 71 on Thursday. J.D. was riding a cart around Port Royal, thanks to the ADA Act and his arthritic right knee.
Daly was tied for 111th after day one and was pretty much heading home on Friday as he was five-over after his first six holes on day two.
