Webb Simpson fires career-low 61 on opening day at The Greenbrier

Webb Simpson just missed out on posting the first 59 of the year on the PGA Tour as he stormed into the first-round lead in the A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier.

Simpson went on an astonishing burst of scoring around the turn, including a chip-in for eagle at the 12th following three consecutive birdies, and he picked up further shots at the 14th and 16th to get to nine under for the day at the par-70 Old White layout.

That left him needing to birdie the final two holes to break 60, but a poor lay-up into the rough at the par-five 17th hampered his chances, although he did well to knock his third to 25 feet to retain hope of emulating the 59s of Paul Goydos and Stuart Appleby in this event in 2010.

The birdie putt was on line but a fraction short of the required pace, and The Players champion had to settle for a tap-in for par before a cast-iron three at the last capped a 61 - his lowest career score in 862 rounds on the PGA Tour.

Simpson, whose round was interrupted by a delay of almost two hours due to the threat of lightning, ended the day with a one-shot lead over Whee Kim, who made only one par on the front nine while carding six birdies and two bogeys.

Kim added three birdies in a row from the 12th and another at 17 to earn the early clubhouse lead on eight under, while young Chilean sensation Joaquin Niemann opened with a blemish-free 63.

Xander Schauffele began the defence of his title with a four-under 66 which was later matched by Phil Mickelson, who was level par at the turn before he followed a birdie at 11 with a stunning second to five feet at the 12th which he converted for eagle.

Bubba Watson, who picked up his third win of an outstanding year at the Travelers Championship last month, also got to four under only to get into trouble at the short eighth and ran up a double-bogey five.

The two-time Masters champion parred his final hole to return a 68 along with the likes of US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk on a day when over half the field managed to end their rounds in red numbers.

But it was not such a good day for fan-favourite Jon Daly, who was six over at the turn and dropped one more shot coming in to card a seven-over 77 which did not contain a single birdie.

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