Garrick Higgo had a bogey-free six-under-par 65 on Thursday and was in a share of third after the first round of the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.
Higgo started his round quietly from the first tee with three pars, and then made two birdies in a row on the fourth and fifth as he reached the turn in two-under-par 33. Birdies on 11, 13, 14 and 17 completed his scoring on the inward nine, and he was three strokes off the lead.
In front was Sweden’s Jonas Blixt, who made two eagle, six birdies and a bogey in his nine-under 62. He had a two-stroke lead over American Grayson Murray, and Higgo shared third with Greyson Sigg, Adam Schenk, Nate Lashley, Richy Werenski and Cameron Young, all of the United States.
MJ Daffue was the next-best of the South Africans in the field with a three-under-par 68 putting him in a share of 23rd. Erik van Rooyen was in a share of 64th on one-under-par, and Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Dylan Frittelli were on level-par in a share of 89th.
