No wind, no problem. Chad Ramey, S.H. Kim share lead after first round of Cognizant Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS — There wasn’t much grass being thrown in the air during Thursday’s first round of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches. No need to.
Golf’s four-letter word — wind — failed to show up at the Champion Course at PGA National. And that led to low scoring seldom seen on this course.
Combine the calm conditions with soft greens, lower rough and a par change that transformed the 10th hole from the most difficult to the easiest, and it was a day to go low.
Chad Ramey, 253rd in the world rankings, and S.H. Kim took the most advantage with 7-under-par 64s to take a one-shot lead over five players.
However, six players have not completed their first round. Play was suspended at 6:22 p.m. due to darkness. The first round will resume Friday at 8:15 a.m., and the second round will begin as scheduled at 6:45 a.m.
Ramey had five birdies in his first seven holes and didn’t make a bogey. Kim, 122nd in the world, had an eagle and five birdies. He played the three par 5s in 4-under.
“I’ve never been here and it not blow,” said Ramey, who had missed three of five cuts on the PGA Tour this year with a best finish of T33. “To take advantage of the calm conditions is definitely a plus.”
Seventeen players shoot 66 or better in first round
Ramey and Kim weren’t the only ones who took advantage. Seventeen players shot 66 or better, 74 players were in the 60s and almost two-thirds of the field broke par. The field’s scoring average of 69.51 was 1½ shots lower than last year’s (71.07).
No, this was not your typical day on the Champ. Instead of players trying to avoid disaster on the Bear Trap (holes 15 through 17) and a mini-Bear Trap on the fifth through seventh holes, they were firing at pins and going for par-5s in two shots.
“The wind is the biggest defense,” said Andrew Novak, one of the six players to share third place with 65s. “There’s water around, but the water is really shown off because the wind causes some funny (shots).
“It’s very hard to make birdies out here when it’s windy, so this is your chance to get some birdies, get them early, and the rest of the week might be a little bit more of a par-fest.”
Most players expect the wind to pick up during the final 54 holes, perhaps because it always blows at PGA National. The forecast calls for 15 mph winds Friday, 12 mph on Saturday and 10 mph on Sunday — gentle conditions in these parts. Regardless of what happens on the weekend, Thursday was a day to play aggressively.
“You’re not going to get this course much easier,” said world No. 2 Rory McIlroy after his 67 that didn’t have him too pumped. “Probably could have been a couple shots better, but still a decent start.”
The Champion Course already was made easier by the PGA Tour’s decision to switch the par-4 10th hole to a par 5, which is the way the PGA National members play it. That shaved a stroke off the field’s scoring average (it averaged 4.26 in last year’s first round as a par 4, 4.13 on Thursday.)
Defending champ Chris Kirk shoots 67
There were a few calamities at the Bear Trap, most notably a double bogey at the 17th hole by defending champion Chris Kirk, who settled for a 67. Kirk is trying to join Jack Nicklaus as the only repeat winner in the tournament’s 52-year history.
But the three-hole stretch on the front nine from No. 5 through No. 7 which also includes a pair of par 3s with a testy par 4 in the middle has also gotten the players’ attention.
“I almost think 5, 6 and 7 can be tougher than the Bear Trap,” said Jupiter resident Daniel Berger after a 68. “This felt pretty tame. I’ve played here where 2-under is tied for fourth place. Obviously, the golf course has changed a little.”
How the Cognizant Classic unfolds from here depends greatly upon that four-letter word. Most of Thursday’s leaders played in the morning — including Ramey, Novak, Ryan Moore (65), Austin Eckroat (65), Jupiter’s Cameron Young (65) and Chesson Hadley (65) — suggesting the conditions may even out for the field.
More: Rory McIlroy says he's made the turn in his career: 'Maybe on the 10th green or 11th tee'
Kim, Samuel Ryder (66), Erik van Rooyen (66), Kevin Yu (66) and David Skinns (66) were the only ones on the leaderboard who played in the afternoon. With 51 players within four shots of the lead, it’s all about positioning the next two days – no matter the conditions.
“Typically, if you're just hanging around on Sunday,” Hadley said, “you can put together something, and it can be a special weekend.”
Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches
Through Sunday, PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens
TV: Friday, 2 p.m., GOLF; Saturday, 1 p.m., GOLF; 3 p.m., NBC; Sunday, 1 p.m., GOLF; 3 p.m., NBC
Tickets: thecognizantclassic.com
2023 champion: Chris Kirk
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Chad Ramey, S.H. Kim share lead after first round of Cognizant Classic
