NAPLES, Fla. — UCLA alums Jake Knapp and Patty Tavatanakit birdied all the entrance 9 in a scramble format Friday and completed eagle-birdie for a 14-under 58, giving them a one-shot lead after the opening spherical of the Grant Thornton Invitational.
The event has 16 two-player groups from the PGA Tour and the LPGA, the second 12 months of the mixed-team format.
The Canadian duo of Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners had two late eagles and narrowly missed a birdie on the 18th gap of Tiburon Golf Membership. They needed to accept a 59, tied with Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho.
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Knapp and Tavatanakit have a pure connection since they each performed for the UCLA Bruins a number of years aside. Their workforce title is “Rocco” — Knapp briefly labored as a bouncer earlier than becoming a member of the PGA Tour and Rocco’s Tavern is a well-liked spot in Westwood for UCLA college students.
“Actually chill,” Tavatanakit stated in describing the day. “I really feel like all the pieces was going the way in which we hoped for. The timing, momentum-building moments have been fairly good. We simply stored on enjoying.”
They cooled barely after opening with 9 birdies. Knapp hit a towering shot into about 5 ft on the par-5 seventeenth to arrange eagle, and Tavatanakit poured in a birdie putt from about 15 ft on the 18th for the lead.
“I knew 9-under wasn’t going to be a foul rating after 9 holes,” Knapp stated. “However a few pars to start out off the again 9 it was like, ‘OK, let’s be certain we attempt to maintain giving ourselves alternatives.’ And to have the ability to end eagle-birdie, that is at all times fairly good.”
Knapp gained his first PGA Tour title on the Mexico Open. Tavatanakit gained her first main as a rookie, the ANA Inspiration.
Maja Stark and J.T. Poston had a 61 and have been joined by Sahith Theegala and Allisen Corpuz. Defending champions Lydia Ko and Jason Day have been at 62 with Jeeno Thitikul and Tom Kim. Ko and Day have been slowed by a bogey on the third gap, uncommon for the scramble format.
Thitikul final month gained the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon and the $4 million prize, the richest in girls’s golf.
The format adjustments to foursomes on Saturday, the hardest of the codecs as a result of one golf ball is in play and the teammates alternate hitting photographs.
