Joe Durant (64) leads Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
Joe Durant shot an 8 under par 64 to take the lead after the first round of Friday’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, NY
Durant racked up nine birdies with a single bogey on his round at En-Joie Golf Club, putting himself a three-shot lead over South Africa’s Ernie Els and Jason Schultz.
“I think the putter definitely played along today,” Durant said. “I didn’t drive that well. This is a tough golf course, the fairways are quite narrow and if you just peel it a little one way or the other you will often miss a few fairways. But you’ve really had a good recovery.’ Shots of the first cuts and so on.’
Durant, 59, has four PGA Tour Champions wins but none since the Ally Challenge in 2020. In his most recent start, the American Family Insurance Championship, he tied for fourth place.
“The biggest thing I struggled with was that I was struggling with some injuries, so I sort of managed to work around them,” Durant said. “I’m finally feeling so good that I can actually use my legs a bit instead of just picking up the racquet and hitting it. I actually have a little more power now and I’m just hitting him harder, so a little bit better.”
Els’ bogey-free round of ’67 was spurred on by a 4-under-three-hole course. He made a birdie on the fourth par 3, an eagle on the fifth par 5, and a birdie on the sixth par 4.
“I had a nice little run in the top nine,” Els said. “I had a few chances in defense but didn’t take them quite, but 67 is a good start.”
The 53-year-old former world No. 1 has three PGA Tour Champions wins to his credit, including last March’s Hoag Classic. He placed second at the 2021 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
Schultz turned 50 at the beginning of the year and is competing in the senior section for the third time. He recovered from an early bogey and made six birdies, including four on his last seven holes.
“It’s still a learning experience. Like I said, I’m just playing golf and just trying to have fun and hit – stacking a shot on top of each other and not making it bigger than it is.” I’m just doing what I can to play well and To have fun.
Ten players were tied in 4 under 68, notable names included Brett Quigley, Ken Duke, Fiji’s Vijay Singh, Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez. Defending champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland opened with 3 under 69.