3M Open First-Round Leader Tips: Dave Tindall's three to back up to 70/1

3M Open weather forecast for Thursday

Temperatures start in the 60s and get close to 90 by 4pm in the afternoon.

Wind speeds are light. They start at just 5mph and increase a little to 8pm in the afternoon.

Looking at past years, the morning wave has scored better in four of the last five editions so I'll focus on the early starters.

First Round Leader Bet 1: Lee Hodges @ 70/171.00

In Scotland a couple of weeks ago we saw another example of a player putting a '1' on his FRL record not long after he'd previously acheived the feat.

We cashed in by backing Tom Kim, who emerged as joint-leader at 50s.

So I'll play that angle again and go with Lee Hodges.

Hodges shot a 64 to lead the Charles Schwab Challenge four starts ago and since then he's opened with another 64 to take third place after 18 holes of the John Deere Classic.

There's another huge sell though. Hodges was the runaway seven-shot winner of this event in 2023 and on that occasion he led the way after round one thanks to a 63.

With a third-place finish at the John Deere just two starts ago, he's clearly in form again and looks a must at 70/171.00 for FRL. He's in the first group out from the 10th at 06:45.

First Round Leader Bet 2: Emiliano Grillo @ 55/156.00

Emiliano Grillo is another player with a recent first-round lead.

That came in last month's Canadian Open where he set out with a 64, the second time he'd carded that number in three starts (also Charles Schwab where he was fourth after round one).

Grillo is an absolute course horse here at TPC Twin Cities. He has a second, a third, a 10th and just one finish outside the top 25 in six appearances.

Looking at FRL positions he has a third, a sixth and an 11th.

As long as the Argentine stays away from any Spanish players (joke fails; none are playing), he has the chance to make a mark from his 08:02 tee-time (1st).

First Round Leader Bet 3: Sungjae Im @ 45/146.00

Sungjae Im was second after 18 holes at Royal Birkdale where he added a pair of 69s on the weekend to finish 14th.

You have to go back a little to find him with FRL status, that coming in March's Valspar Championship. But between then and last week's Open he was also second through 18 holes of the Truist Championship.

The Korean has some good first-round leader history in this event too.

Im has played here four times and in the first two he signed for a 65 on day one. In 2022 that was enough to put him in front after Thursday's play and he went on to finish runner-up.

He begins his bid at 07:29 from the 10th in the company of Scottie Scheffler and Hideki Matsuyama.

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