Brandt Snedeker in Chicago birdie blitz
The American fired a flawless eight-under-par 63 despite tricky, gusty conditions at
Conway Farms Golf Club to seize control of the third of the PGA Tour’s four lucrative
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Hide AdFedExCup play-off events. Helped by a 40-foot putt which he sank from the back fringe of the green at the par-three 17th, his eighth hole of the day, Snedeker reeled off seven consecutive birdies from the 13th to rocket to the top of the leaderboard.
Compatriot Zach Johnson opened with a seven-birdie 64 and world No 1 Tiger Woods shot a 66 to end the day level with fellow American Steve Stricker and South African Charl Schwartzel but Snedeker commanded the spotlight.
“It was one of those days where everything seemed to go right in the middle of the round,” said the reigning FedExCup champion. “To roll off seven birdies in a row kind of came out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting it.”
Woods, seeking his sixth PGA Tour victory this season, was not in the best of moods after failing to birdie any of the three par-fives.
“I’m not exactly real happy,” said the 14-times major winner, who mixed seven birdies with two bogeys. “I certainly wasted a lot of shots out there today.”