07/16/26 06:49:00
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07/16 18:47 CDT Clements and Gutierrez share the lead at the breezy Corales
Puntacana Championship
Clements and Gutierrez share the lead at the breezy Corales Puntacana
Championship
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (AP) --- Todd Clements of England and Ivan
Cantero Gutierrez of Spain each shot 7-under 65 on Thursday at breezy Puntacana
Resort to share the first-round lead in the Corales Puntacana Championship.
Clements and Gutierrez are two of 50 European tour players in the field for the
co-sanctioned event played opposite the British Open. They both missed the cut
last week in Kentucky in the ISCO Championship.
"I just think the whole place is just an enjoyable place to be," Clements said.
"Turned up and it's a relaxing environment. Just get to enjoy myself and I kind
of felt like it came out in my golf today."
On a day when wind gusted to 22 mph on the Corales layout, Clements had nine
birdies and two bogeys, dropping a late stroke on the par-3 17th in the morning
session. He won the 2023 Czech Masters for his lone DP World Tour victory.
"I'm actually delighted with how I played today," Clements said. "A few tweaks
I'm going to try and solve this afternoon, but for the main part I was
absolutely delighted and looking forward to tomorrow and what that brings."
Austin Eckroat was a stroke back with Alejandro Del Rey, Johannes Veerman,
Mackenzie Hughes, Jonathan Byrd and Gordon Sargent. Two-time PGA Tour winner
Eckroat tied for 30th Sunday in the Scottish Open.
"We were over in Scotland last week and trying to qualify for the British Open,
but when we saw we were going to be here, we said, `Well, someone's got to win
it,'" Eckroat said. "Huge going into the rest of the season. A lot of points
available, good momentum."
Blades Brown had a 67. He got in the field as a special temporary member.
U.S. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker shot 70. He won an opposite-field
event in Myrtle Beach in May.
Defending champion Garrick Higgo had a 72.
Sangmoon Bae opened with a 77. Playing on a sponsor exemption. he's trying to
get back on track since his mandatory military service in South Korea a decade
ago.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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