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Here’s what you missed from Round 1 of the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

January 31, 2020

The next stop on the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing is this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course, and if the first round is any indication, the scoring will be really low this week.

Here’s everything you missed from Thursday’s action in Scottsdale.

Wyndham Clark leads

Twenty-six-year-old Wyndham Clark sits atop the leaderboard alone through one round, after firing a scorching round of 10-under-par 61. The 2017 University of Oregon grad’s perfect round included an incredible 10 birdies and zero bogeys.

Clark is playing his second full season on the PGA Tour this year, and is still seeking his maiden victory, though he did have three top 10s last season, and made it to the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Who else is in the hunt?

Tour veterans Billy Horschel and J.B. Holmes also had excellent opening rounds on Thursday, firing an eight-under-par 63 and a seven-under-par 64, respectively.

Two of Holmes’ five career Tour titles were won at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, in 2006 and 2008. His most recent win was last year’s Genesis Open.

How did the big names play?

Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley and Zach Johnson had the best rounds of the recognizable-name set, with scores of four-under-par 67.

Justin Thomas and Matt Kuchar shot three-under-par 68s while Bubba Watson and Tony Finau shot two-under-par 69s.

Gary Woodland and Bryson DeChambeau are nine shots behind Clark’s lead after one-under-par 70s, and defending champ Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth have some work to do on Friday if they want to stick around for the weekend after opening with rounds of three-over-par 74.

Anything else of note?

Lots of players are paying tribute to Kobe Bryant’s memory this week, and Tony Finau is among them. In addition to donning custom purple and gold golf shoes on Thursday, he also wore Kobe’s jersey for his shot on the 16th hole, which was a pretty cool moment.

How can I watch Round 2?

Golf Channel will be airing coverage of Round 2 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET on Friday.

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