Hayden Springer birdied three of his last four holes Thursday for a six-under 65, giving him a share of the lead with Justin Lower before darkness kept the opening round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship from finishing.
Springer needed a start like this with only two tournaments left in the PGA Tour season. He came to Bermuda at No 125 in the FedExCup Fall, the cutoff for keeping full status for 2025.
Lower is safe at No 95 and brought good form to the island in the middle of the Atlantic, coming off a runner-up finish in Mexico last week.
They were one shot ahead of Patrick Rodgers, Joseph Bramlett and Kevin Dougherty, who still had the 18th hole at Port Royal Golf Course to play to complete his round.
The group at 67 included Kevin Kisner, enduring a rough year as he tries to sort out his game while spending some time in the NBC broadcast booth.
Also at 67 was Jhonattan Vegas, one of only three players in the field who already have locked up a spot in the Masters.
Vegas was all over the place, making only one par in his opening 12 holes – seven birdies and four bogeys on the other holes – until settling down.
Lucas Glover, at No. 48 the only player from the top 50 in the world in Bermuda, was in the large group at 68.
Garrick Higgo was the best-placed South African in the field after a two-under 69 (T30) that included six birdies and four bogeys.
Twenty-one players will conclude their first rounds Friday morning before a quick turnaround for the next round.
– Edited report from PGA Tour website
Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
