BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Adam Svensson made a stunning 48-foot eagle putt on the final hole to complete an 11-under 60 on Thursday, taking a one-shot lead at the 3M Open. His performance gave him a two-shot lead over Sam Stevens and Thorbjorn Olesen after the first round.
A Historic Round
Svensson, who made nine birdies and didn’t drop a shot, set a new tournament record, marking the lowest round in the tournament’s seven-year history. His score also tied the TPC Twin Cities course record, which was set by Paul Goydos at the 2017 3M Championship on the PGA Tour Champions.
Other Competitors
Chris Gotterup, who finished third at the British Open last week and won the Scottish Open two weeks ago, was three shots behind Svensson. He was joined by Chad Ramey and Matti Schmid.
Other notable players like Zac Blair, Chris Kirk, Jake Knapp, and Brendan Valdes were a shot back, while Rickie Fowler and Emiliano Grillo finished at 6 under.
Svensson’s Amazing Putting
Svensson, who has only one PGA Tour win (the 2022 RSM Classic), said his key to success was his putting. “I had a great range session today. Just really putted amazing, I made a bunch of breakers. It was probably my best putting round I ever had,” he said. He needed only 25 putts, including a nearly 40-foot birdie on the 11th hole and a 34-footer on the 4th hole.
His career-best 60 is the second-lowest score on the PGA Tour this season. Jake Knapp holds the record for the lowest score this season with a 59 at the Cognizant Classic in February.
Stevens’ Near-Miss
Sam Stevens almost shot 59, but a bogey on the 18th hole prevented him. He put his second shot from 246 yards into the water, costing him the chance. He finished with a 62, which was still his lowest round on tour.
“I thought if I hit a 3-wood, it was just going to fly to the back of the green, but I figured that was my best chance to shoot 59, so I gave it a go,” Stevens explained.
Players Fighting for FedEx Cup Spots
Rickie Fowler and Emiliano Grillo are among 18 players ranked between 60th and 80th in the FedEx Cup standings. They need strong performances to secure spots in the 70-man field for the first playoff event in two weeks. Fowler entered the week at No. 63, and Grillo was No. 71. Fowler said, “At the end of the day, good golf solves a lot of things.”
Other Round Results
Patrick Rodgers and Gary Woodland both shot 67.
Keith Mitchell (No. 70) shot a 68, while Cam Davis (No. 65) had a 71.
Defending champion Jhonattan Vegas shot a 68.
Haotong Li, who finished tied for fourth at the British Open last week, shot a 1-under 70.
