3M Open: Scott Piercy opens up two-shot lead after bogey-free 62
Friday 5 July 2019 08:03, UK
Scott Piercy birdied six of his last eight holes to open up a two-shot lead after the opening round of the PGA Tour's inaugural 3M Open.
Piercy's fast finish closed out a bogey-free 62 at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota and pulled the American clear of nearest challengers Adam Hadwin and Hideki Matsuyama.
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Brian Harman is in the group of four players sharing fourth on six under, with Bryson DeChambeau one of nine players sitting three off the pace after an opening-round 66.
"You always get one or two guys go really low and I just happened to be that guy," Piercy said. "I was thinking [pre-round] four or five under a day would be nice."
Piercy opened with four straight pars but moved up the leaderboard after a 40-minute weather delay due to the threat of lightning, holing from close range at the fifth and posting back-to-back birdies from the eighth.
Reaching the turn in 32, Piercy followed successive gains from the 12th with three straight birdies from the 14th - including a 30-footer at the 16th - before adding another from eight feet at the par-five last.
Matsuyama took advantage of the calm morning conditions to card an opening-round 65, with his only bogey coming on his final hole, while Hadwin - playing two groups behind - fired four straight birdies from the fourth to also get to seven under.
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Sungjae Im, Patton Kizzire and Sam Saunders join Harman on six under, as world No 1 Brooks Koepka made a tap-in birdie at the last to close a four-under 67 and get within five of the lead.
Watch the 3M Open throughout the week on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday with Featured Group from 1pm, live via the red button on Sky Sports Golf.
