Phoenix Open: Wyndham Clark leads after stunning 61 opening round

Wyndham Clark holds a two-shot lead at the Phoenix Open after shooting a 61 opening round, to finish on 10 under.

Leaderboard

-10 W. Clark

-8 Horschel

-7 Holmes

-6 Hoge, An, English, Cauley

Day one report

Wyndham Clark shot a career best 10-under 61, missing out on the course record by one shot, to lead the Phoenix Open by two following a first round completed in near-darkness.

Starting on the 10th tee, the 26-year-old took control on his back nine, with eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch from hole 12 to three, before adding two more on holes seven and eight. He finally putted out for par hole nine just after sunset.

Billy Horschel sits second, carding an eagle and six birdies, as well as holing nearly 200 feet of putts.

J.B. Holmes, winner in 2006 and 2008, is also in contention again, just a further stroke back. Starting on the 10th also, his round was highlighted by a hole-in-one on the fourth, using a 7-iron on the 175 yarder to secure his ace. However he followed with a bogey on the fifth to lose some momentum. But Holmes rallied again to birdie the final three holes and seven of the last 10 to sit three back of Clark.

Clark said: "I hit a lot of fairways and I just gave myself a lot of looks and the putter was hot.

"I looked on the leaderboard and saw I was at 8 under and I saw Billy Horschel was, too. "I said, 'Man, he's going to rain on my parade.' So, kind of to myself I said, 'All right, let's go get past him.'"