Matt Kuchar shoots 7-under 64 to take Phoenix Open lead
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Matt Kuchar hardly looked like a guy coming off a seven-week break Thursday in the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Kuchar eagled the par-5 13th and added two late birdies and a big par save on the rowdy par-3 16th hole in an opening 7-under 64 at TPC Scottsdale.
“It was so nice to be home,” Kuchar said. “Our kids got to play basketball. This is basketball season back home. I have always been travelling out west, so it was fun for me to be home, be dad, go to basketball games and practices. But we had such good weather, I got good practice in. My boys are now 7 and 9 and they’re into golf, as well. In the afternoons, we’d sneak out and play a few holes. Wasn’t too rusty.”
Playing in perfect afternoon conditions in front of a crowd estimated at 103,420, Kuchar took a one-stroke lead over defending champion Hideki Matsuyama and Brendan Steele.