Adam Scott tied the course record by carding a 10-under-par 62 to take a three-stroke lead over John Merrick and Ryo Ishikawa of Japan after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla.
Scott, ranked No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings behind Tiger Woods, holed a 36-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole after starting on the back nine, sank a 19-foot eagle putt at No. 4, collected seven birdies and made his only bogey at No. 18.
It was the sixth time he shot 62, his career low, the last coming in the first round on his way to winning the 2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone.
If the Aussie wins, he will not take the No. 1 spot immediately, but will rise to the top of the rankings ahead of his title defense in the Masters in two weeks because Woods probably will not play until Augusta, if then, because of a back injury.
“Obviously I’m really thrilled with the start today,” said Scott, who tied the Bay Hill mark set by Andy Bean in1981 and equaled by Greg Norman in 1984. “It’s maybe a little surprising. I don’t know where it came from, but the putter certainly got hot today.
” … I like the changes they’ve made (to the course) since I was last here (in 2009). And today was just one of those days where the hole was a bit like a bucket.”
The 22-year-old Ishikawa, who has won 11 times in Japan but has yet to break through on the PGA Tour, birdied five of the last seven holes and made his only bogey at No. 14 while shooting 65.
Merrick, out of Long Beach and UCLA, recorded eight birdies and was only two strokes behind Scott after four straight birdies through No. 7, before making his only bogey of the day at No. 8 while finishing his 65 on the front nine.
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who has seven titles on European Tour but has yet to win on the PGA Tour, recorded five birdies in a span of six holes through No. 17 and was alone in fourth after a 66.
Brandt Snedeker posted a bogey-free 67 and was tied for fifth with Morgan Hoffman, Paul Casey of England, Jamie Donaldson of Wales, Jason Kokrak and Francesco Molinari of Italy, who sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
Bubba Watson shot 83, including an 11 on the sixth hole after hitting three shots into the water and a triple-bogey 7 on the 18th, and withdrew. He took to Twitter to inform his fans that he was suffering from allergies.
