NORTON, Mass. – It was a good day for swing coach Sean Foley’s student.
No, not that guy – although Tiger Woods certainly didn’t have anything to complain about following an opening-round 64 at the Deutsche Bank Championship. It was Seung-Yul Noh who set the pace on Day 1 at TPC Boston with a flawless 62 despite windy conditions.
Noh, the only rookie this year with a PGA Tour victory, needed just 26 putts on his way to a round that was one stroke off the course record.
Noh is a stroke clear of Chris Kirk, who at 81st in the FedEx Cup points race needs a solid week to crack the top 70 and advance to the BMW Championship, and two ahead of Woods, who posted his best opening round of the season.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is at 6 under despite a bogey at his first hole thanks to a 24-putt day.
Jeff Overton is tied with Woods after a 64 and also needs a big week to advance to the third playoff event in Indiana at 83rd on the points list.
In the other race going on this week at TPC Boston Dustin Johnson made the biggest move, posting a 67 in his quest to land one of U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III’s four captain’s picks. Brandt Snedeker, playing with Woods, was at 2 under, Hunter Mahan was at 3 under and Rickie Fowler carded an even-par 71.
Nick Watney, last week’s winner at The Barlcays and the leader in the FedEx Cup points race, was the only player in the Ryder Cup mix to post an over-par round (1-over 72).
