Wyndham Clark grabs a one-shot lead after first round of Phoenix Open

Former US Open champion Wyndham Clark, aged 31, recorded an impressive seven birdies, achieving a score of seven-under-par 64, which placed him one stroke ahead after the opening round of the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open on Thursday.

Clark emphasized the importance of patience at TPC Scottsdale, where he completed a bogey-free round under sunny conditions, significantly improving his standing following a disappointing tie for 73rd in his title defense at Pebble Beach the previous week.

"I was very discouraged," admitted Clark, who had also missed the cut at La Quinta in January. "It's been a pretty crappy few, three weeks."

He began his uplifting round with an eight-foot birdie at the first hole and then embarked on a streak of four consecutive birdies, starting with a 16-footer at the eighth.

Clark made a 14-foot birdie putt at the ninth, followed by a successful shot from a fairway bunker at the 10th, which he converted into another birdie from eight feet. He then secured a four-foot birdie at the 11th.

After taking the lead with birdies at the 13th and 15th holes, he managed to save par at the 17th despite hitting his tee shot into the water.

His third shot left him with just over a foot for par, and Clark remarked that his recent efforts to dispel negative thoughts were instrumental in helping him recover at what should have been a birdie opportunity.

"Honestly, it's such a relief to have a round where you're like, OK, all the work I did put in these last few weeks and last couple days have kind of all come to fruition and you have a great round," he said.

American players Taylor Moore and Lee Hodges are tied for second place at six-under.

Hodges, who claimed his first title at the 2023 3M Open, recorded two eagles during his round of 65.

He made a four-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th, his sixth hole of the day, and then chipped in for eagle at the par-four 17th.

"Actually hit it in a really bad spot off the tee," he said of 17. "(I) hit the best chip that I could and it just hit the flag and went in. You get good breaks and bad breaks."

Moore's round included an impressive 11-foot eagle at the par-five third hole, enabling him to surpass a group of six players tied for fourth at five-under, which featured Justin Thomas among them.

Thomas recorded six birdies during his round of 66, overcoming an early bogey and concluding his performance with a 15-foot birdie on the ninth hole.

World number one Scottie Scheffler posted a tumultuous two-under par 69, which comprised two eagles, a double-bogey, three bogeys, and three birdies.

Scheffler, competing for the second time since sustaining a puncture wound in his hand during a Christmas cooking incident, captivated the audience with a remarkable 104-yard eagle shot from a fairway bunker at the 10th hole.

He encountered difficulties at the 12th, resulting in a double-bogey, but quickly recovered with a birdie at the 13th, followed by a seven-foot eagle at the 15th and another birdie at the 17th.