The great performance that of the American Sam Burns who became the outstanding leader of the Genesis Invitational tournament, of the PGA Tour, upon completion of the first round and a signed card of 64 hits (-7).
Burns started the tour brilliantly at the Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades (California), made an eagle, and finished it better with three consecutive birdies that left him two strokes less than those achieved by his compatriot Max Homa and the Englishman Matthews Fitzpatrick, who shared second place with a record of 66 strokes (-5).
The 24-year-old golfer opened with a spectacular putt from more than five meters away that allowed the round to finish his second record of 64 strokes, the third time he has achieved it so far this season.
Burns, seeking his first PGA Tour win, couldn’t get off to a more hopeful start in one of the best courses of the year, against another table loaded with great figures.
“This golf course sometimes doesn’t offer you many opportunities,” said Burns. after completing your first tour. “So I think just with that mindset, we were going to take what we could get.”
American Patrick Cantlay, who was coming off chances to win in Palm Springs and Pebble Beach, extended his streak of good play with four birdies in his last nine and was placed within the important group that finished with 67 shots (-4).
In that same group was the young Chilean Joaquín Niemann, who returned to activity on the PGA Tour and achieved five birdies, including four in the second half of the tour, with a bogey, the one he committed on the third hole, after starting the round with a birdie on par 5 of the first.
Another Latin American golfer, Colombian Sebastián Muñoz delivered a signed card of 68 strokes (-3) after making five birdies, including three in the first half of the round, and committing two bogeys (holes 9 and 13).
American Dustin Johnson, the number one player in the world that has performed at Riviera as well as anyone else in the last 10 years, failed to take advantage of par 5s and still worked his way up to a 68, mainly with five putts. over the last six holes.
His compatriots Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth, seeking his first title since 2017, also joined him. in the same group of 68 strokes (-3).
The Spanish Jon Rahm, second in the world ranking, had a discreet record of 70 (-1) to share 34th place with 12 other players after making two birdies and one bogey.
Mexican Abraham Ancer did not show his best game either and finished with a signed card of 71 (even) after moving all the way on the sides of the hits and misses with four birdies and another four bogeys, the last one on the 18th hole.
Another Latin American golfer, the Colombian Camilo Villegas, accompanied Ancer with the same record with three birdies and three bogeys., and both share the position 47 with other 22 players.
The Spanish Sergio García and the Argentine Guillermo Grilló handed over signed cards of 72 strokes (+1) and share the provisional position 71 of the classification.
While the Mexican Carlos Ortiz, which came after two great performances in the last tournaments, in which he fought for the title, andstuvo out of his best inspiration and finished with a record of 75 hits (+4), which complicates their presence in the weekend’s competition.