NAPLES, Fla. — U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and Brandt Snedeker shot a 10-under 62 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play to take the first-round lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
Love said everyone on the U.S. team wanted to play with Snedeker, a captain’s pick, so he took that advice this week.
“That’s why I was so excited to play with him, because I knew it would be fun and comfortable," Love said.
Love and Snedeker made 10 birdies for the lowest score in the modified alternate-shot format in the 24-year-old tournament’s 12 years in Naples. They tied the third-lowest score overall.
“For the first time in my career, I got to feel like what it’s like to be Davis Love, to hit from some of his tee shots, and hit from some of his beautiful iron shots on these par 3s, and realize how the game is supposed to be played," Snedeker said.
Kenny Perry and Sean O’Hair were two strokes back on the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort’s Tiburon Golf Club.
“In this format, both players have got to play well," O’Hair said.
Perry was thankful O’Hair saved him after a couple of poor chip shots.
“I didn’t realize how long he was," Perry said. “I used to hit it kind of close to him, and now I realize I need to be staying on the Champions Tour after how far he hits it. I was just stunned."
Also on Friday:
Australian up one in Sydney
SYDNEY — Australia’s Marcus Fraser took a one-stroke lead in the Australian Open, shooting his second straight 3-under 69 at The Lakes. Fraser had a 6-under 138 total. Fellow Australians Brendan Jones and John Senden were tied for second. Jones had a 71, and Senden, the first-round leader, shot a 73.
Schwartzel increases lead
CHON BURI, Thailand — South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel shot his second straight 7-under 65 to increase his lead to four strokes in the Asian Tour’s Thailand Golf Championship. Sweden’s Daniel Chopra was second after a 67, and Japan’s Masanori Kobayashi was another stroke back, also after a 67 at Amata Spring.
China’s Feng tops Dubai
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — China’s Shanshan Feng shot a 5-under 67 to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Ladies European Tour’s Dubai Ladies Masters. Feng, the LPGA Championship winner in June, birdied the final three holes at Emirates Golf Club for a tournament-record 18-under 198 total. The Netherlands’ Dewi Claire Schreefel was second after a course-record 63.
Rain delays European event
DURBAN, South Africa — The start of the European Tour’s season-opening Nelson Mandela Championship was washed out for the second straight day after heavy rain left most of the course under water. The event also is sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour.
