The Associated Press
DUBLIN, Ohio–Jason Dufner putted for birdie on every hole until the last one at the Memorial, a game so under control it looked as simple as breathing.
Even with a bogey on the final hole, Dufner had a seven-under 65 yesterday for his best score at Muirfield Village, giving him a tie for the lead with David Lingmerth.
They were one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth, whose short game is starting to return with the U.S. Open just around the corner.
Lingmerth, whose first PGA Tour victory came at the Memorial two years ago, also bogeyed his last hole on an ideal day for scoring.
Starting quickly at the Memorial is nothing new for Dufner lately. He opened with a 66-67 two years ago before fading on the weekend.
Last year, he opened with a 68.
“I can put a couple of rounds together here,” Dufner noted. “But I’m looking for more than that this week.
“Hopefully, [I] can keep it going for four.”
Dustin Johnson and Jason Day just want to make sure they get to play for rounds.
Johnson three-putted after putting his tee shot into the water on the par-three 16th and made triple-bogey.
He three-putted from four feet on the sixth hole and made double-bogey.
And he didn’t make a single birdie in his round of 78.
It was the first time in nearly four years–since the Bridgestone Invitational in 2013–that Johnson failed to make a birdie.
Day, who has yet to crack the top 25 at the club where he holds a membership, made bogeys on both par-fives on the back nine and was headed for a big score until he birdied his last two holes for a 75.
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. was the low Canadian yesterday with a 69, which was tied for ninth at three-under.
Dufner nearly hitting every green in regulation is not surprising with his efficient swing.
He recalls hitting 17 in a row in a round at Muirfield Village a few years ago until the 18th hole, and it got him again yesterday.
He even went for a slightly longer club, a seven-iron instead of an eight-iron, but the contact wasn’t pure and he came up short in a bunker.
He blasted out 12 feet by the hole and missed his par putt.
“I’m OK,” Dufner said. “I’ll get over it.”
Lingmerth, a playoff winner over Justin Rose in 2015, got his name on the board quickly with four-straight birdies on the front nine to turn in 31, then he hit a three-wood to six feet on the par-five 15th for an eagle.
He only had two pars on the back nine.
“Obviously, having won here it brings back good memories,” Lingmerth noted.
“And the other years I’ve played here, I’ve always loved it.”
Daniel Summerhays joined Spieth at 66 while Justin Thomas and Lucas Glover were at 67.
