Crowded at the Top of McGladrey Classic


Brian Harman, Michael Thompson, Erik Compton and Will MacKenzie each fired 5-under 65s to take a share of the opening-round lead in the McGladrey Classic. The $5.6 million PGA Tour event got started Thursday on the Seaside Course at Sea Island, Ga.

Harman, a 27-year-old Georgia native who lives at Sea Island, posted six birdies and a bogey as did the 29-year-old Thompson and 34-year-old Compton. Both Harman and Compton are former Georgia Bulldogs.

The 40-year-old MacKenzie, who began the round on the 10th tee, strayed a bit further from that script as he had seven birdies and a double on the par-4 16th (his seventh hole of the day).

Eight players opened with 66s. The group included South Korea's Sung Joon Park and Americans Chesson Hadley, Shawn Stefani, Andrew Svoboda, Patton Kizzire, Jason Kokrak, Jim Renner and John Peterson.

Kizzire is a former Auburn player and resident of Sea Island who gained entry into his third PGA Tour event thanks to a sponsor's exemption. He earned a spot in the tournament after edging fellow former collegians from the Southeast -Trey Mullinax, Corey Whitsett and Bobby Wyatt - in an 18-hole playoff held on Sunday.

There was a big logjam of 16 players tied for 13th after they posted 67s.

Defending champion Chris Kirk, a graduate of the University of Georgia and a three-time Tour winner, opened with a 68.

Ben Martin, winner of last week's event, the Shriners Hospital for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, shot an even-par 70. Fifty-year-old Davis Love III, also a Sea Island resident, carded a 71.

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