PGA Tour: England’s Jordan Smith begins nicely at Baycurrent Traditional as Jacob Bridgeman leads in Japan | Golf Information
England’s Jordan Smith loved a powerful begin to the Baycurrent Traditional with a bogey-free, seven-under 64 leaving him one shot behind first-round chief Jacob Bridgeman in Japan.
Smith, who has made 17 of 23 cuts and recorded eight top-25 finishes with a better of third on the Valspar Championship since incomes a PGA Tour card for 2026, registered 4 birdies on his entrance 9 and three coming house at Yokohama Nation Membership.
The 33-year-old mentioned: “I am very completely happy. I would not say I had my greatest stuff on the market right this moment however there was a number of good brief recreation photographs, a number of good placing. It was only a good day on the market.”
On his season as a complete, after securing a tour card primarily based on his DP World Tour performances in 2025, Smith added: “The whole lot’s very new – new faces, new locations, new golf programs.
“To adapt to that rapidly, I am very proud of that. I’ve loved it rather a lot, it has been good enjoyable.”
Jacob Bridgeman gained the Biltmore Championship Asheville final month earlier than having fun with Presidents Cup glory with Staff USA
Bogey-free Bridgeman out in entrance with Schauffele seven again
Bridgeman set the tempo with an eight-under 63 – the 26-year-old additionally going bogey-free and reeling off 4 beneficial properties in a row at one level – as he pursues a second win in as many begins, after the Biltmore Championship Asheville final month, and third of the season.
Per week after his victory in North Carolina on September 20, Bridgeman was concerned in Staff USA’s beautiful comeback to defeat a world facet on the Presidents Cup, profitable his Sunday singles in opposition to Min Woo Lee in a 17-13 success.
America had trailed 10.5-7.5 heading into the ultimate day at Medinah however then gained 9 of the 12 singles encounters and tied one other.
Xander Schauffele – who beat Open champion Ryan Fox 2&1 within the remaining singles match on the Presidents Cup – is the defending champion on the Baycurrent Traditional.
Defending champion Xander Schauffele started the Baycurrent Traditional with a one-under 70
The 2-time main winner shot a one-under 70 in spherical one, mixing 4 birdies with three bogeys, to take a seat exterior the highest 30.
Schauffele’s countrymen Max Homa, Pierceson Coody, Mac Meissner and Ricky Castillo share third place, behind Bridgeman and Smith, on six below par, with 2024 champion Nico Echavarria 4 off the lead on 4 below and simply exterior the highest 10.
The Baycurrent Traditional, previously often known as the Zozo Championship, was first performed in 2019 when Tiger Woods took the title after beating house participant Hideki Matsuyama by three strokes.
It has been performed in Japan yearly bar 2020, when it was switched to California because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Watch spherical two of the Baycurrent Traditional stay on Sky Sports activities Golf from 4am on Friday. Protection additionally picks up on Sky Sports activities Important Occasion from 5am. Newest Sky Sports activities offers or stream with NOW.
