Baird and Gay lead at Sea Island

The weather played havoc on day one of The McGladrey Classic in Georgia, but Briny Baird and Brian Gay as well as George McNeill were not too bothered by the conditions.
Early morning fog at the Sea Island course delayed the start for nearly two hours, but once the sun came out Baird and Gay made the most of it as they carded seven-under-par 63s to take the club house lead.
However, McNeill went even better as he carded eight birdies, including five in a row, to move to eight under through 16 holes before play was suspended due to bad light.
McNeill, who has never broken 63 on the PGA Tour and failed to make the top 10 in the 2013 season, will putt for a birdie on the par-four eighth when play resumes at 7am local time on Friday.
Starting on the back nine, he carded a birdie on the 11th and picked up five consecutive shots from the 15th and further birdies on the fourth and seventh holes moved him to eight under.
Gay, meanwhile, made good use of the delay as he got in a quick nap before making eight birdies, but he dropped a shot at the par-three 12th.
“It was just a solid day, I played nice and hit the ball good and hit a lot of greens and made some long putts so it was a really solid day,” he told reporters. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.”
Baird has failed to win on his previous 364 appearances on Tour, but he gave himself the best possible start to the tournament by shooting a flawless round.
“If there’s such thing as an easy 63, today was,” Baird, who is playing on a major medical exemption after returning from double shoulder surgery, said on the PGA Tour website. “I kept the ball in play. I kept it in front of me.”
Former US Open winner Webb Simpson is in the clubhouse at five under alongside Kevin Kisner, Kevin Chappell and Noh Seung-yul while Robert Garrigus is also at five under through 13 holes.
Defending champion Tommy Gainey is two under after 15 along with world number eight Matt Kuchar.
Latest
-
PGA Championship
Graeme Storm recalls ‘surreal’ US PGA adventure after battle with Rory McIlroy
His famous victory over McIlroy came on the third extra hole in the 2017 South African Open in Johannesburg
-
PGA Tour
Lee Kyoung-Hoon shoots his lowest round on the tour to retain Texas title
Dallas-born Jordan Spieth went close with a chip for eagle on the 18th which would have forced a play-off.
-
European Tour
Sam Horsfield ‘so happy’ after winning Soudal Open to secure another title
Horsfield overcame overnight leader Ryan Fox in a thrilling final-round battle.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Rose still has drive to succeed as ‘exciting challenge’ of US PGA arrives
Rose won the US Open in 2013 and Olympic gold in Rio three years later, but has not tasted victory since February 2019.
-
PGA Championship
Tiger Woods will expect to do better at US PGA Championship – Curtis Strange
Woods returned to top-level action after a long injury absence with a 47th-placed finished at the Masters.
-
PGA Championship
Defending champion Phil Mickelson withdraws from US PGA Championship
The six-time major winner has been taking a break from golf.
-
PGA Tour
English rookie David Skinns shares lead in Texas
The 40-year-old from Lincoln shot a second-round 63 in the AT&T Byron Nelson.
-
PGA Championship
Jordan Spieth looking for career grand slam at US PGA Championship
The presence or absence of defending champion Phil Mickelson which will dominate the conversation at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship
5 contenders to win the US PGA Championship
Tiger Woods could contend for victory in Tulsa.
-
News
We’ve got your back – Greg Norman promises to defend players on breakaway tour
Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood are among the professionals to have asked for the required release to play the first event at Centurion Club.