SAN DIEGO – Sam Ryder said that most of his best rounds start with a birdie. He did one better at the Farmers Insurance Open’s first round on Wednesday.
Ryder started on the par-5, 10 th hole at Torrey Pines. Ryder putted a long eagle shot.
“Well, that’s all for me. Brendan Steele, one his rivals in the group, recalled Ryder’s words. “I was like, “Dude, this ball isn’t the best.” He said, “You’ve got to continue playing.”
Ryder had six birdies, including the eagle, to share the lead with rookie Brent Grant and Aaron Rai. Steele tried his best to keep up Ryder’s pace, scoring a birdie at 10 to make it the first of seven rounds to shoot 65.
Steele stated, “He was always infront of me the entire day.” His good play was very helpful. It’s great to see the balls go in the hole.
Ryder said that Ryder believed they could benefit from a harmonious pairing in which both players are well-tuned. Ryder said, “There is truth to that.
Ryder, 33 years old, was in a slump when he entered the tournament. He had missed three straight cuts, and four of his five last five. However, his confidence remained intact.
He explained that he felt like he was shaking off holiday rust. “I have been working hard since the beginning of the year and feel good about my game. It was just that it started off the tee. I was able to drive it in fairway and felt confident about my attack.
Ryder called it a stress-free round, and it all started with the opening-hole-eagle.
He said, “There wasn’t much to it.” It was quite straight, and when it was halfway there it looked pretty good. The putt just fell in perfect.
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