Loupe leads before nature intervenes
Loupe impresses before weather intervenes
Andrew Loupe carded an eight-under-par 63 at Monterey Peninsula to take the clubhouse lead before Mother Nature intervened at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
It wasn’t a pleasant day in California on Thursday and those teeing off early were on the courses for just 39 minutes before play was halted because of standing water on the three courses.
Following a delay of nearly three hours, players finally returned and Loupe made the most of the good conditions to post a career-best round.
After picking up three shots on his front nine, the 25-year-old made it a flawless opening round with five more birdies on the back nine.
“I had a blast out there,” he told PGATour.com.
He added: “I think it’s settling in. You’re not putting next to the guys you’ve been putting next to. You’re not hitting balls to the guys you’ve been hitting balls next to.
“I’m looking at guys I’ve been watching on TV, you know, and it’s just realising that I’m supposed to be here. I’m here for a reason and I think I was a little nervy the last couple weeks and I thought I did a lot better job of that today.”
Loupe has a two-shot lead over Stuart Appleby, Jim Renner, Scott Gardiner, Richard H Lee, and Jimmy Walker. The first three also played on the Monterey Peninsula course while Walker was over Pebble Beach Golf Course.
European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley carded five birdies for a 67 to find himself tied seventh along with Jordan Spieth, who posted the best score at Spyglass, and two other players.
Four-time Pebble Beach winner winner Phil Mickelson also made a good start to the tournament was also five under when play was suspended. His flawless round included an eagle at the par-five sixth. That was just moments before the round was called off.
Defending champion Graeme McDowell started with a one-under-par 71 after carding two bogeys and three birdies.
When play was suspended for the day, 43 players still had to complete their round.
Latest
-
European TourCollin Morikawa wins Race to Dubai as Rory McIlroy’s frustrations boil over
The Northern Irishman appeared to rip his shirt open in the recording area behind the 18th green.
-
NewsTiger Woods shares footage of him hitting balls as rehab continues
Woods was injured in a car accident in February.
-
-
European TourRory McIlroy takes one-shot lead into final round in Dubai after shooting a 67
England’s Sam Horsfield is just a shot off the lead, one ahead of Scot Robert MacIntyre.
-
European TourDouble bogey on final hole sees Rory McIlroy slip shot off the pace in Dubai
The round one leader is a shot behind Ryder Cup team-mate Shane Lowry, England’s Sam Horsfield and American John Catlin.
-
European TourI’m on the right path – Rory McIlroy excited about road to next majors challenge
McIlroy is now a combined 148 under par in the £6.6million season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
-
European TourOpen champion Collin Morikawa determined to take chances in Race to Dubai bid
Morikawa had the chance to top the Order of Merit by winning last year’s DP World Tour Championship.
-
European TourRory McIlroy unlikely to change schedule despite new-look European Tour
The European Tour will be known as the DP World Tour from the 2022 season but Florida-based McIlroy will continue to focus on the PGA Tour.
-
European TourPunter’s pointers at the DP World Tour Championship: Course and desert specialists to the fore
It’s the final week of the 2021 European Tour season and the best 50 players of the season are convening at Jumeirah’s Earth Course.
-
European TourJB Hansen wins AVIV Dubai Championship to claim second European Tour title
The Dane finished a shot clear of Italy’s Francesco Laporta and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger.