Garrick Higgo made six birdies on Thursday and teammate Branden Grace made two as the pair carded an opening betterball round of eight-under-par 64 in the first round of the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
They never made birdie on the same hole at all during their round, and, when either made bogey, the other made par as they dovetailed nicely in a good display of team golf. Higgo made two bogeys, and Grace one.
Their performance left them five shots of the lead which was held by Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele who had a 13-under 59 with six birdies for Cantlay and five and an eagle for Schauffele. They led by one from Matthew NeSmith and Taylor Moore, with Aaron Rai and David Lipsky, Tommy Gainey and Robert Garrigus, and Doc Redman and Sam Ryder in a share of third on 11-under.
Dawie van der Walt and his Australian partner Brad Drewitt carded a five-under 67, the same score as Charl Schwarztel and Christiaan Bezuidenhout. That had them in a share of 64th.
The second round (as well as the final round), will be foursomes, which will make the scoring a little less intimidatingly low and will give those lower down on the leaderboard a shot at being part of the action over the weekend.
