Watch the second round of the QBE Shootout live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Saturday
Saturday 14 December 2019 07:20, UK
Harold Varner III and Ryan Palmer shot a 17-under 55 in the QBE Shootout to equal the scramble record since the event moved to Tiburon Golf Club in 2001.
Varner and Palmer eagled the par-five 17th and had 15 birdies and two pars in the first round at the Florida venue.
The American duo tied the scramble record set by Greg Norman and Steve Elkington in 2005 and matched by Jason Day and Cameron Tringale in 2014.
"We're going to go back and talk about those two holes," Palmer joked about the pars which came at the fifth and 16th. "We had a little mental lapse. We brought it back hard."
Jason Kokrak and JT Poston are two behind Varner and Palmer after a 57, with the teams returning to the course to play a modified alternate-shot format on Saturday before best-ball action on Sunday.
"Hopefully, we'll both hit good tee shots [on Saturday] and then go from there, but the way he [Varner] is putting and the confidence I have in my iron play, I think that will be the idea," Palmer added. "Hit a lot of good iron shots, put the putter in his hand."
Rory Sabbatini and Kevin Tway and Charley Hoffman and Kevin Kisner opened with 58s, while Billy Horschel and Brendon Todd and Charles Howell III and Bubba Watson both shot 59s.
Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell opened with a 61, although they may have been expecting better after eagling the first hole, and defending champions Brian Harman and Patton Kizzire had a 62.
Lexi Thompson and Sean O'Hair are 11th in the 12-team field after a 64.
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