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Agence France-Presse

Ian Poulter fired seven birdies, including a 31-footer at the 17th, to share the first-round lead at the RBC Heritage on Thursday at seven-under par 64.
England’s Poulter and American Mark Hubbard set the early pace at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and a raft of afternoon challengers failed to get past them.
Plenty came close however, with seven players tied on six-under 65 and another six on five-under par 66.
“Any time you shoot seven-under par around this golf course, it’s obviously a pretty solid day,” said Poulter, who won the last of his three PGA Tour titles at the 2018 Houston Open.


“It’s very important being bogey-free. It’s a fiddly, testing, tricky golf course,” Poulter added of the par-71 layout.
Poulter said he needed to improve off the tee, but his solid iron play included a 213-yard five-iron to five feet for a birdie at 18, and he didn’t miss a putt from within 10 feet.
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The highlight for Hubbard, whose best PGA Tour finish was a tie for second at the Houston Open earlier this season, was a 10-foot eagle on the second hole.
Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli and Americans Webb Simpson, Michael Thompson, Brice Garnett and Ryan Palmer shared third on 65.
Daniel Berger grabs title at Colonial, happy to fly under the radar
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth was the unlikely leader of the group on five-under par 66, overcoming a triple-bogey at his third hole, the 12th, with eight birdies – seven of them on his second nine.
“It’s not a great feeling,” Spieth said of finding himself three over through three holes after going right off the tee at 12.
His ball hit a tree and ended up out of bounds, but the American was able to regroup, stringing together six birdies in a row from the second through the seventh holes before capping his round with a birdie at nine.
Former world number one Brooks Koepka and South African veteran Ernie Els were among another big bunch on 67.

It was a “little bit of a struggle” for world number one Rory McIlroy, whose one-over 72 left him with work to do to make the cut.
Second-ranked Jon Rahm of Spain carded a 71.
McIlroy, coming off a disappointing 74 in the final round at the Charles Schwab Challenge, said there wasn’t much change from Sunday’s round at Colonial.
“Just missing tee-shots,” the Northern Ireland star said, “Didn’t get it in play enough to give myself looks at hitting it close into greens.”
The tournament is the second since the PGA Tour resumed play after a 91-day hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Poulter gave his Twitter followers an inside glimpse of some of the tour’s health protocols when he posted a video of himself undergoing a nasal swab Covid-19 test on Wednesday – calling it a “bizarre sensation.”
Poulter tested negative, as have all players, caddies and officials for two straight weeks.
“It’s a great start,” Poulter said of the negative tests. “I don’t think the PGA Tour would have expected that.
“They definitely would have expected a few people, certainly from as far and wide as people are travelling to come in and play golf.”


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RBC Heritage: Ian Poulter shares first-round lead in South Carolina; Rory McIlroy struggles

England’s Ian Poulter is off to a strong start at the RBC Heritage. Photo: AP

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA - JUNE 18: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the RBC Heritage on June 18, 2020 at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

PGA Tour: Harold Varner not getting ahead of himself despite blistering start at Colonial

Harold Varner III got off to a flying start at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo: AFP

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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland arrives on the 18th green during the second round of the 2019 British Open Golf Championship. Photo: EPA

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 25: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot during the final round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on August 25, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Sam Greenwood/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 08: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts on the second green during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 08, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

LPGA Tour: Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan hails coach Ian Godleman after making second cut in a row

Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan is looking forward to the weekend in Australia after making the cut at the Vic Open. Photo: Ike Li / Ike Images

Sport

Golf


Seven players shoot six-under par 65s and another six sit on five-under par 66



Seven players shoot six-under par 65s and another six sit on five-under par 66.


RBC Heritage: Ian Poulter shares first-round lead in South Carolina; Rory McIlroy struggles

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Seven players shoot six-under par 65s and another six sit on five-under par 66

Seven players shoot six-under par 65s and another six sit on five-under par 66