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HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Viktor Hovland‘s spherical of 7-under 64 on the rain-delayed RBC Heritage on Thursday gave him a first-round lead for a second straight week – and left Masters champion Jon Rahm eight photographs behind and with loads of work forward to get into rivalry after his main victory.
Hovland had the bottom of his 5 profession rounds Harbour City, the tight, difficult Pete Dye format.
The Norwegian was a stroke forward of Brian Harman. Jimmy Walker and Aaron Rai had been additionally at 6 underneath however had not accomplished their rounds when play was suspended due to darkness at 7:50 p.m. Six gamers will conclude their first rounds on Friday morning.
The group at 66 included U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, Justin Rose, Sungjae Im, Scott Stallings and Joel Dahmen.
Rahm, who slipped on his first inexperienced jacket just some days earlier, completed at 1-over 72. He acknowledged the fatigue from Augusta Nationwide, and it did not assist that his afternoon included a rain delay of almost 90 minutes. He by no means acquired comfy on a course he had competed on solely as soon as earlier than.
“I hate to make excuses, however a few the swings in the direction of the tip had been my physique being drained and shocked me,” Rahm mentioned.
The RBC Heritage is the sixth designated occasion this 12 months on the PGA Tour, which means an elevated purse – as much as $20 million from $8 million a 12 months in the past – and lots of the world’s greatest, like Rahm and Hovland, within the subject when they might have in any other case taken a post-Masters break.
Hovland, like Rahm, had solely performed right here in June 2020 when Harbour City hosted the tour’s second occasion after its COVID-19 stoppage. However the lack of expertise did not gradual him down as he birdied seven of his closing 14 holes. Hovland shared the first-round lead on the Masters and completed in a tie for seventh.
Hovland missed birdie putts inside 15 ft on three of his first 4 holes however did not lose confidence in his stroke.
“As a substitute of freaking out or questioning all of the reads that you simply make, that is not going to repair something,” he mentioned. “So I simply form of stored trusting the method.”
Rahm was cheered loudly as he acquired to the primary tee and was the main focus of cellphone cameras as he moved round Harbour City. He confirmed rapidly he was not fairly recovered from meat-grinder of Augusta Nationwide.
His drive on the par-5 second gap was means left and he wanted two chips to avoid wasting par. On the fifth, one other par-5, Rahm was gesturing together with his fingers when his putt did not go the place he deliberate. After the mid-round delay, Rahm bogeyed the sixth, seventh and eighth holes.
He obtained an enormous ovation by followers within the stands alongside No. 8, however after his tap-in for bogey, Rahm did not pause and headed straight for the ninth tee earlier than enjoying associate Jordan Spieth putted out. Spieth, the defending champion, shot 68.
Rahm made consecutive birdies on the thirteenth and 14th holes. However issues turned once more on No. 16 when his drive went right into a bush in a waste space. He took a penalty drop and made his fourth bogey of the day.
“I am hoping tonight is the day the place I begin turning issues again round and begin feeling somewhat bit higher,” Rahm mentioned.
Harman is from close by Savannah, Georgia, and has performed this occasion for 12 straight years. He missed the lower on the Masters, then took the weekend off and did not contact a membership till arriving on Hilton Head.
“I killed a pig Friday evening at my farm, and I killed a turkey Saturday morning,” Harman mentioned. “I did not hit any balls till I acquired right here Tuesday.”
His hands-off preparation appeared to work nicely as he had six birdies and not using a bogey to tie his lowest profession spherical at Harbour City.
After per week the place PGA Tour and LIV Golf gamers had been collectively, it was again to separate sides of the globe. Dustin Johnson was probably the most distinguished member of the Saudi-funded tour who repeatedly performed Harbour City. Johnson is a South Carolina native and had an endorsement take care of RBC.
LIV Golf’s subsequent occasion in April 21-23 in Adelaide, Australia.
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