Warian Is Medalist & Gophers Are Team Champs at Highland Meadows
April 16, 2024
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
BLAINE, Minn. – Carding six birdies during his final nine holes to begin the 2021 3M Open Thursday, former Spring Lake Park High School golfer Troy Merritt earned a share of the opening-round lead with Rickie Fowler and Jhonattan Vegas at TPC Twin Cities.
Merritt posted a season-low 7-under 64 Thursday and is in search of his first win since the 2018 Barbasol Championship. Building on four top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit earlier this month, Merritt got help from his putter during the opening round, a component that’s been lacking in recent weeks.
“I found a lot of fairways. That hasn't been too much of an issue the last little while, it's just been knocking putts down. The last two weeks I really haven't made a whole lot and up until then, was putting quite nicely,” said Merritt, who has missed two consecutive cuts, including last week’s Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. “To be able to go out and see some go in, it's nice to do because you know you have to make birdies out here.
“It's very frustrating if you go through hitting 15, 16, 17 greens and only make two or three birdies, that's just not going to get it done. To go out and make eight birdies today was just a good start to the week.”
Merritt carded a pair of birdies through his first six holes, but would turn in 1-under following a bogey at the ninth. Rolling in three birdies over his first four holes during his inward nine Thursday, Merritt quickly moved to 4-under for the championship before dropping a 25-footer at the 15th.
The former Boise State University golfer stuck his tee shot at the par-3 17th inside of five feet, converting his birdie chance and would two-putt for birdie at the 18th for a 7-under 64.
Merritt finished tied for seventh at the inaugural championship in 2019 and is looking to bounce back from missing the cut at last year’s tournament.
“I feel like the ball-striking was really solid—11 fairways, 16 greens, something like that,” Merritt said. “I had a lot of good looks, a couple two-putt birdies on the back side. That's what you've got to do around this place, you've got to make a lot of birdies and try to avoid the little mistakes that aggravate you and we were able to do that today for the most part.
“I've seen this golf course now for about 20 years. Came to watch the seniors play when I was in high school and got to play it once or twice. It's just a lot of fun. Obviously, went to high school here, have a lot of family here still, and without having any spectators out here last year, you just want to come back and play and play well in front of the fans here. It was a good start to the day.”
Posting a 5-under 65 for one of his strongest rounds of the season to close out The Open Championship Sunday, Fowler carried his momentum to the Twin Cities Thursday, posting his lowest opening-round this season to earn a share of the lead with Merritt and Vegas at 7-under 64.
“Going off of what we did Sunday last week, just needed to tighten a few things up,” Fowler said Thursday. “This golf course is fairly generous off the tee. There's a few lakes and ponds that you just need to avoid. Other than that, it's go attack for the most part. I think we did a good job of just managing our way around since I haven't necessarily seen the golf course a whole lot before.
“It was nice to see some putts go in on top of it because that's been another part of the game that really hasn't helped me a whole lot the last couple years.”
Entering the week ranked No. 124 in the FedEx Cup Rankings, Fowler is in jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since his rookie season in 2010.
“I know where I'm at, what we need to do and stuff like that,” Fowler said. “Really just focusing on things we've been working on, playing more consistent good golf. More days like today and things will be fine. Kind of keep things, like I said, simple and small, focus on the day-to-day and this week and go from there. Everything will work out.”
Starting on the 10th tee Thursday, Fowler sprinkled three birdies over his first six holes before rattling off three consecutive birdies beginning at the 18th to quickly move up the leaderboard to 6-under for the day.
Running in a 12-footer for birdie at the par-5 sixth would put Fowler in a share of the lead with a 64.
Vegas, who missed the cut in his first appearance at the 3M Open last season, scrambled early to remain even Thursday before carding three birdies in a four-hole stretch to quickly move into red figures.
Turning in 3-under, Vegas shot up the leaderboard with three consecutive birdies beginning at the par-5 12th holes to get to 6-under for the championship and would add one final birdie at the 18th, rolling in a 4-footer, to share the clubhouse lead after 18 holes.
The trio of Scott Stallings, Adam Schenk and Canadian Roger Sloan will begin Friday’s second round in a share of fourth place after carding rounds of 6-under 65 during the first round Thursday.
Severe weather halted play for more than two hours during the opening round Thursday before eventually being stopped due to darkness. Groups yet to finish the first round will resume at 8 a.m. Friday.
The 2021 3M Open continues Friday when the second round gets underway at 6:50 a.m. at TPC Twin Cities.
THE 2021 3M OPEN
TPC TWIN CITIES
BLAINE, MINN.
7,431 YARDS, PAR 71
THURSDAY’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS
T1. Rickie Fowler, 32-32—64
T1. TROY MERRITT, 34-30—64
T1. Jhonattan Vegas, 32-32—64
T4. Scott Stallings, 32-33—65
T4. Adam Schenk, 33-32—65
T4. Roger Sloan (-6 through 16 holes)
T7. Chris Baker, 32-34—66
T7. Chez Reavie, 35-31—66
T7. Michael Gellerman (-5 through 17 holes)
T10. Cameron Tringale, 36-31—67
T10. Maverick McNealy, 34-33—67
T10. Adam Hadwin, 33-34—67
T10. Ryan Armour, 32-35—67
T10. Charl Schwartzel, 33-34--67
T10. David Lingmerth, 32-35—67
T10. Ryan Brehm, 35-32—67
T10. Bo Hoag, 34-44—67
T10. Josh Teater, 32-35—67
T10. Chesson Hadley, 32-35—67
T10. Nick Watney, 32-35—67
T21. ERIK VAN ROOYEN, 34-34—68
T103. ANGUS FLANAGAN, 34-38—72
T126. BRENT SNYDER (+2 through 16 holes)
For complete tournament results go to: www.pgatour.com/competition/2021/3m-open/leaderboard.html
April 9, 2024
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