Bill Haas missed the cut in three straight events and tied for 54th two weeks ago in the CareerBuilder Challenge, but he’s too good for that to continue.
The 35-year-old Haas sank a 19-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole while opening with a bogey-free 7-under-par 64 to take a two-stroke lead over seventh-ranked Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis, Billy Horschel, Chesson Hadley and Chris Kirk in the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
“I’ve been struggling, but I’m practicing hard and trying to figure things out,” said Haas, whose sixth and most recent PGA Tour victory came in the 2015 Humana Challenge, one of his three titles on the West Coast Swing.
“My putter was hot the first nine holes and was able to save some pars and make some birdies, and that eagle. It was just one of those days and I hope it’s one of those weeks for me. I love playing in the desert, especially if the wind stays down like this. The conditions are perfect. It’s fun golf. The course is going to get firmer and it should be intense on the weekend.”
Fowler had a tap-in eagle on No.15 in his 66, which Hadley matched with the help of a nine-foot eagle putt on the 15th, while DeChambeau and Horschel each had five birdies while posting bogey-free rounds.
Kirk did not have a bogey through 17 holes and could have tied Haas for the lead with a closing birdie, but he hit his approach shot into a greenside bunker No. 18 and finished off his 66 with a bogey-5.
Second-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain, one of the local favorites who played at nearby Arizona State, holed out from 20 feet for an eagle on the third hole en route to a 67 to tie for seventh with Bubba Watson, Gary Woodland, Brian Gay and Vaughn Taylor.
Fourth-ranked Justin Thomas is tied for 12th at 68, two-time defending champion and fifth-ranked Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is tied for 29th at 69, and third-ranked Jordan Spieth is tied for 83rd at 72.
Phil Mickelson, who also went to Arizona State and claimed the last of his three titles in this event in 2013, is tied for 46th at 70.
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