Opening day at the 3M Open: Notes, quotes and anecdotes
Adam Schenk was among those players who can't complain at all after the first round.
July 23, 2021 at 2:17AM
Keep that card
Adam Schenk: Coming off a T15 finish last week at the Barbasol Championship and a T4 finish at the John Deere Classic, Schenk kept his hot play going. Thursday's 6-under 65 was his 10th round in a row of 70 or better.
Toss that card
Michael Thompson: A year after shooting four rounds in the 60s, the defending 3M Open champ made just two birdies and signed for a 1-over 72.
On the course with ...
Bubba Watson. The two-time Masters winner finished his first nine with a sigh-of-relief flourish, but the same could not be said for the start of his second nine. Watson splashed his approach shot on No. 18 (his ninth hole) into the water and played safe from there, hitting his next stroke to the fat part of the green. He then made a ticklish 55-foot downhill putt to save par. One hole later, on No. 1, Watson flew the green by some 60 feet and needed four more shots to limp away with a double bogey.
3M Open moment
Scott Stallings was cruising along at 8 under par through 17 holes when the weather horn blew Thursday for lightning in the area. All players and spectators were advised to clear the grounds for threat of dangerous conditions. Stallings, like everyone, rode out the weather, then returned to the course 2 hours, 24 minutes later with one hole to play — and coughed up a double bogey to fall out of the lead. Stallings, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, took the hiccup in stride. "It's golf, man. You can't do this as long as I've done it and just hang on one shot. We hit thousands of shots. It stings now because it was five minutes ago, but at the end of the day I'm in great position."
Chip shots
- In his first 47 rounds on tour this season Rickie Fowler had no bogey-free rounds. Thursday's blemish-free 64 was his fifth in the past 26 rounds.
- Troy Merritt's 7-under 64 led the way among players with local ties. Others were Erik van Rooyen (68), Angus Flanagan (72), Brent Snyder (2 over through 16 holes) and Tom Hoge (74).
- Sangmoon Bae played eight holes in 3 over par then withdrew from the tournament with a neck injury.
Hole of the day
No. 9, 502-yard par-4
A monster playing into the wind Thursday had a stroke average more than three-tenths above par.
Tweet of the day
"Just pulled into our road to see @LukeDonald on the 2nd tee. Grew up in the same area as him in the UK and here we are in Minnesota. Best of luck, Luke, hope my daughter yelling out of the window didn't put you off!" — @Phippsofacto
Quote of the day
"The vegetation around here is a little different and I know it gets very cold. But I think a lot of Swedes did come here, yes?" — David Lingmerth, asked if he felt at home golfing in Minnesota.
Frankie Capan III, who will be playing on the PGA Tour next year, finished at 13 under par at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
