Matt Every fired a record-tying 9-under 61 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead at the Wyndham Championship after day one.
Every tied the opening-round record set by Arjun Atwal in 2010, who went on to win that year. (Si Woo Kim’s 60 in last season’s final round is the tournament-best.)
“I played good, and have been playing good for a while,” Every said. “So it’s just nice to see it come together.”
One back of Every is Henrik Stenson, who fired an opening-round 8-under 62, and is alone in second.
Former Wyndham winner (2011) Webb Simpson sits at 7-under 63, alongside Harold Varner III, Brian Campbell, Cameron Smith, Tim Wilkinson, Vaughn Taylor, and Sam Saunders.
Three-time Wyndham champion Davis Love III is at 64 along with Martin Flores and Rick Lamb.
Every, who is tied for 183rd on the FedEx Cup standings, needs a Top 2 finish to make the playoffs and a ticket to next week’s Northern Trust.
WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP TOP 10
1 Matt Every -9
2 Henrik Stenson -8
T3 Cameron Smith -7
T3 Vaughn Taylor -7
T3 Webb Simpson -7
T3 Tim Wilkinson -7
T3 Brian Campbell -7
T3 Harold Varner, III -7
T3 Sam Saunders -7
T10 Davis Love III -6
T10 Rick Lamb -6
T10 Martin Flores -6
ROUND 1 VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
QUICK HITS
- Bogey-free Rounds: Matt Every (61), Lucas Glover (65), Michael Kim (66), Davis Love III (64), Jonathan Randolph (66), Tag Ridings (66), Sam Saunders (63), Cameron Smith (63), Henrik Stenson (62), Robert Streb (66), Vaughn Taylor (63).
- Three players hit all 18 greens in regulation in the first round: Davis Love III, C.T. Pan and Cameron Smith.
- Through 41 stroke-play events this season, seven players have managed to hang on for the win. Most recently, Jordan Spieth at The Open Championship.
PLAYOFF BUBBLE
121 – David Hearn (-3)
122 – Richy Werenski (-3)
123 – Seamus Power (-3)
124 – Daniel Summerhays (-3)
125 – Geoff Ogilvy (E)
126 – Cameron Tringale (+1)
127 – Sam Saunders (-7)
128 – Ryan Palmer (+2)
129 – Billy Hurley III (E)
130 – J.T. Poston (-3)
QUOTABLE: Matt Every
“I have a high regard for my talent. Like, I know I’m as talented as anyone out here — maybe like five guys are more talented than me — so I couldn’t let myself quit. There were a lot of low points, though. That’s life. Just everything that I’ve been through, I’ve brought on myself. So I don’t need any sympathy or anything. It’s just the way my path has gone so far in the last couple years.”