Chris Kirk again showed that he knows his way around Sea Island Golf Club.
Kirk sank an 18-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole to cap a 9-under 63 on the Plantation Course and took a one-stroke lead over Joel Dahmen after the first round of the RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga.
“It’s nice to have this beautiful weather on golf courses I love,” said Kirk, who won the tournament in 2013 for one of his four PGA Tour victories and once lived in Sea Island. “We still consider it a second home.”
Kirk played the par 5s in 5-under and birdied five of the first eight holes, while Dahmen also had five birdies on the front nine in a bogey-free 64, and Hudson Swafford, Jason Kokrak and Brian Gay all finished at 65 to tie for third in the final event of the PGA Tour’s Fall Season.
Austin Kirk and Sung Kang of South Korea posted 66s to tie for sixth, as the first seven players in the standings all played the Plantation Course.
Brice Garnett and Nick Watney of Davis and Fresno State both shot 5-under 65 on the Seaside Course and were in a tie for eighth with Webb Simpson, Richy Werenski, Blayne Barber, Vaughn Taylor, Keith Mitchell, Russell Knox of Scotland, Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe and Ben Silverman of Canada all had 65s on the Plantation Course.
Defending champion Mac Hughes of Canada is tied for 95th after a 70 on the Seaside Course.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.
