Eric Cole returned to the Travelers Championship in far better condition than a year ago, firing a seven-under-par 63 on Friday to grab a one-shot lead after the opening round. Cole's highlight came on the par-5 13th hole, where he holed out from 65 yards for eagle en route to his lowest opening round at TPC River Highlands, according to the Associated Press.
Strong start for Cole
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler headlined a six-way tie for second after carding a bogey-free 64. Matt Fitzpatrick, Ben Griffin, Nico Echavarria, Bud Cauley and Kristoffer Reitan also opened with 64s. Cole was forced to withdraw before the final round of last year's tournament after being hospitalized with a severe stomach illness related to Addison's disease, a condition that affects the body's ability to regulate hormones and blood pressure.
“I’m not sure if it’s redemption, but I’m happy to be here and feeling good,” Cole said. His only blemish on an otherwise stellar day was a missed birdie putt from eight feet on the final hole. Cole said his eagle at the 13th sparked his strong finish. “From 13 in is really where you can kind of score,” the AP quoted him as saying.
Scheffler keeps pace
Scheffler, the 2024 Travelers champion, also stayed mistake-free and narrowly missed birdie opportunities over his closing holes that could have matched Cole's score. “It was important to keep pace,” Scheffler said. “When the scoring is lower, it can be harder to play catch-up.”
Fresh off his U.S. Open victory, Wyndham Clark opened with a 68 despite making a triple bogey on the 12th after hitting his tee shot out of bounds. “They were finally rooting for me instead of against me, so we like the Connecticut fans,” Clark joked. Clark said he was pleased with his overall performance despite the costly mistake. “I had one bad swing, made a triple. Other than that we would be at five under and in a great spot,” he said.
Other notable performances
Patrick Cantlay also made a strong start with a 65, his lowest opening round since the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. “I feel like it’s moving in the right direction,” Cantlay said. “A couple weeks can make the whole season.” The AP reported that only 11 players in the 72-man field failed to break par in the final signature event of the PGA Tour's regular season.
