Bill Haas leads by two at Phoenix Open as Justin Thomas falters late
Friday 2 February 2018 18:50, UK
Bill Haas produced a flawless opening round to claim the outright lead after an entertaining first day of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Rickie Fowler gave the bumper crowds plenty to cheer as he got off to a hot start in near-perfect conditions at TPC Scottsdale, while Jon Rahm is also within sight of the leader as Jordan Spieth struggled and Justin Thomas endured an unfortunate finish.
Haas ended the day with a two-stroke advantage over a stellar field, carding an eagle and five birdies while keeping a bogey off his card in a seven-under 64.
The 2011 FedExCup champion started on the 10th and made early birdies at 12 and 13 before rolling in a 20-foot putt for eagle at the long 15th, and he delighted the 20,000 fans in the stands at the 16th when he knocked his tee shot to three feet and converted the chance.
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Haas rolled in a 30-footer for birdie at the second and he picked up another at the fourth before parring safely in to maintain his lead, which was trimmed to a single shot late in the day by Thomas as he reeled off three straight birdies from the 13th.
But last year's PGA Tour Player of the Year came to grief on 16 when his tee shot found the front-left bunker and he bladed his escape attempt over the green, and he needed three more to get down as the crowd turned on every mistake.
Thomas then compounded the errors when his 50-yard pitch into the 17th green bounded past the flag and rolled into the water hazard, although he managed to par the last to return a disappointing 68.
Fowler set the early target at five under and hit the shot of the day at the long 15th - his sixth - when he smote a stunning 230-yard hybrid to within two feet to set up a tap-in for eagle.
The fan-favourite then hit back from a bogey at 16 with a birdie at the next, and he chipped in for another gain at the 18th before nailing a monster 45-foot putt for an unlikely birdie at the fourth.
Fowler also birdied the eighth as he claimed the early clubhouse lead, and he was later joined on five under by fellow Americans Billy Horschel, Bryson DeChambeau, Chesson Hadley and Chris Kirk, who was alone in second until he dropped his only shot of the day at the last.
Rahm produced a positive response to his frustrating weekend at Torrey Pines as he carded a 67 which featured three birdies and an eagle at the third, and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson was also four under for the round while Martin Laird emerged as the leading British challenger after the Scot opened with a solid 68.
Hideki Matsuyama's bid for a third straight victory in Phoenix started with an erratic 69 as he offset five birdies with three bogeys, while three-time champion Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and Shane Lowry are among a huge group of players on one under par.
But Spieth, still without a win since his memorable Open triumph at Royal Birkdale, has work to do to avoid missing the cut after he mixed three birdies with four dropped shots to close on one over.
