Jamie Donaldson and Dustin Johnson open with 66s in Memphis
Friday 10 June 2016 10:12, UK
Dustin Johnson and Jamie Donaldson both made impressive starts to the FedEx St Jude Classic by posting opening-round 66s in Memphis.
The pair, both trying to fine-tune their game ahead of next week's US Open, both finished the day four under at TPC Southwind to sit just one stroke adrift of pacesetters Seung-Yul Noh, Tom Hoge and Shawn Stefani.
Beginning on the back nine, Johnson followed a close-range birdie-two on the 11th with a two-putt blemish from 10 feet at the next.
After finding the water at 14 and running up a double-bogey five, Johnson rolled in a 10-foot eagle at the 16th and drained a 40-footer at the next as part of four consecutive gains around turn.
Johnson saw the run come to an end when his approach in to the third was hazard-bound, only to temporarily move top of the leaderboard with successive birdies from the fifth.
A missed chip at the ninth saw Johnson finish with a dropped shot, with the world No 6 disappointed not to post a lower round.
"I feel like I'm playing really well, but just had a few lapses in concentration," Johnson told reporters. "I hit a lot of great shots and am just a little disappointed I made a bogey on the last hole being in the middle of the fairway.
"All in all it's a good day and four under out here is not a bad score, but I feel like I'm playing a lot better than that."
Donaldson, without a PGA Tour top-10 finish in 13 months, converted a 10-footer at the first and added another gain at the fourth to reach the turn blemish-free.
A birdie at the 10th was cancelled out by a wayward tee shot and sole bogey at the 15th, only for the Welshman to pick up shots over the next two holes.
"I played nicely," Donaldson told Sky Sports. "I hit a lot of fairways, which was very important around there.
"It's one of those things where some people do play (the week before a major) and some don't. I like to play to get warmed up for the week ahead.
"The form has been pretty good. I played nicely in Ireland and wasn't quite on it at Wentworth but wasn't far off.
"I played nicely today here with the greens and hopefully I keep doing that all week."
Phil Mickelson birdied two of his opening three holes but had to settle for a level-par 70, while Graeme McDowell closed with back-to-back blemishes on his way to a three-over 73.
Four Open Championship qualification places are available this week for those who finish in the top-12 and aren't already exempt for Royal Troon.
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