Hearn, Thompson, Hubbard share PGA lead in Las Vegas

Canada's David Hearn and Americans Michael Thompson and Mark Hubbard each fired seven under par 64s to share the lead in the darkness-halted first round of the US PGA Shriners Hospital for Children Open.

American Tyler Aldridge, level with the leaders at seven-under through 16 holes, was among 13 players unable to complete the opening round on Thursday due to darkness and set to finish round one early Friday.

Like the others clustered atop the leaderboard, he was seeking his first PGA title at the TPC Summerlin layout.

Hubbard, trying to become the first alternate entrant to win a PGA event since 2013, made back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 and a 30-foot birdie at the par-5 16th before a bogey at 17 dropped him into only a share of the lead.

"I'm just happy to get in this week," Hubbard said. "My game has been good. I've been waiting for the scores to match. It's perfect conditions. Greens are soft and pins aren't too tough.

"I hit it pretty good, drove it well and kept it in front of me. Putted well. Played pretty solid. I just kept making pars and made a couple birdies coming down the stretch."

Hearn, who began on the back nine, birdied four of his first seven holes and each of his final three holes, the seventh from 14 feet and the last two from 18 feet each, to grab his share of the lead.

Thompson, who also began on the 10th hole, had an eagle, a double bogey and five birdies in his first eight holes then made birdie putts from 32 feet at the seventh and 36 feet at the eighth to join the top leaderboard group.

Among those sharing fourth in a clubhouse pack on 65 were Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, England's Greg Owen and South Korean D.H. Lee.

Swede Henrik Norlander was on six-under with two holes remaining.
Source: AFP