NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Charley Hoffman and Ryan Palmer are making their 10th appearance in the QBE Shootout. Friday was their first time as partners, and they posted a 16-under 56 in a scramble format for a two-shot lead.
They combined for 10 birdies and three eagles at Tiburon Golf Club and missed the tournament record for the scramble format by one shot. Palmer set that record in 2019 when Harold Varner III was his partner.
“Ryan told me at the beginning of the week we need to tie his record of 17 under,” Hoffman said. “All in all, we put ourselves in great positions to make birdies. I would say very low stress all day long.”
Two pairs of Presidents Cup teammates — Max Homa and Kevin Kisner for the U.S., Corey Conners and K.H. Lee for the Internationals — were at 58.
The QBE Shootout has multiple LPGA players for the first time, and they wound up with the same score. Nelly Korda is paired with Denny McCarthy, while Lexi Thompson is playing with Maverick McNealy. They were in the group at 12-under 60.
Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker and Cameron Young, the PGA Tour rookie of the year, brought up the rear at 62.
Homa and Kisner are one of only two returning teams this year — Matt Kuchar and Harris English are the other and were among those at 60 — as the field lost several players to LIV Golf, including defending champions Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na.
The second round is modified alternate shot, with fourballs for the final round Sunday.
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