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80/181.00 Austin Eckroat has a good mix of course form and low R1 scores
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75/176.00 Tom Kim, a former winner here, is showing better signs
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110/1111.00 David Lipsky is making a late burst for the Playoffs
Weather forecast for Thursday
Rain could greet the early starters but by mid-morning sunshine will appear and temperatures will rise to 90 degrees, perhaps even tipping three figures in the afternoon.
Wind speeds look light throughout the day while the odd shower could also return later in the golfing day. There doesn't seem to be any obvious bias for either wave.
Beau Hossler shot a 60 to lead the way on day one last year and it usually takes at least a 62 to set the pace so look to those who aren't afraid to go low.
Austin Eckroat @ 80/181.00
Austin Eckroat shot 64 in round one and matched that score in round three in last year's Wyndham Championship.
It helped him finish sixth and probably lamenting a Friday 72 that cost him a shot at the title.
But the American can clearly go low at Sedgefield and in the last couple of months he's proved his ability to keep pushing when on a birdie blitz. Notably, he's done so on day one.
In the first round of last month's Travelers Championship, Eckroat shot a 62 to take a piece of the first-round lead and an opening 63 put him second after 18 holes of the John Deere Classic earlier this month.
Back in 2023 he took FRL honours in the RSM Classic and it's worth pointing out that Eckroat is scoring all these low laps on tracks that correlate well with each other.
Fourth after day one here last year, the two-time PGA Tour winner can thrive from his 7.34am tee-time (1st).
Back Austin Eckroat each-way for FRL
Tom Kim @ 75/176.00
Tom Kim is showing some better signs again and that's interesting for this week as he won the Wyndham Championship on his only appearance in 2022.
Since claiming a third PGA Tour win at the end of 2023, Kim has found that perhaps he isn't the next Tiger Wood and golf has become hard again.
But he's not a million miles off and his last two regular Tour starts show 17th at the Scottish Open and 28th at the 3M Open.
Kim also began well at Royal Portrush so, through the lens of first-round play, he's finished inside the top 10 after the opening lap in two of his last three starts.
The Korean closed the 3M Open last Sunday with a 66 while he roared to victory here in 2022 with a spectacular final-round 61.
Sitting 89th in the FedEx Cup, he needs a big week to make the top 70 who advance to the Playoffs so there's incentive in play too. Note: that also applies to Eckroat, who is 104th.
Back Kim, a 7.34am starter from the 10th, at 75/176.00.
Back Tom Kim each-way for FRL
David Lipsky @ 110/1111.00
David Lipsky is making a late run for the Playoffs with some excellent displays in July.
He posted third in the John Deere, kept ticking over nicely with 28th in the ISCO and 32nd at the Barracuda and then bagged another top three in the 3M Open.
Fast starts played their part and Lipsky was fourth after day one at the John Deere thanks to a 64 and second after 18 holes of the Barracuda.
His form at Sedgefield isn't amazing - 27th, 45th, MC - but on current form (he closed the 3M Open last week with a pair of 64s), he's worth a flutter.
Lipsky tees off at 1.38pm from the 1st.
Back David Lipsky each-way for FRL