Colombia’s Sebastian Munoz flirted with history Thursday, firing a 10-under-par 60 to take the lead after the first round of the RSM Classic at the Sea Island Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga.
Zach Johnson was in a group of four at 9 under, along with Scott Stallings, Chez Reavie and Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes. Another group of four at 8 under included Talor Gooch, Russell Henley, Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas and Canada’s Corey Conners.
Munoz, whose only PGA Tour victory came in 2019 at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Miss., had five birdies over his first nine holes on the Seaside Course, then went 4-under over a four-hole stretch on the back nine.
After back-to-back birdies at Nos. 12 and 13, Munoz had an eagle 3 on the 540-yard, par-5 15th hole. He put his second shot from 239 yards out to within 10 feet and sank the putt to move to 9 under. He then birdied the par-4 18th hole to finish off the round.
Munoz was 3-under on the course’s two par-5s and did not have a five on his scorecard.
“Yeah, it’s a thing I used to do back in college, it was the challenge of the day trying not to make a 5 on the scorecard with my fellow college team players,” said Munoz, who attended North Texas. “So that’s when I know I play my best, when I don’t make a 5.”
Johnson, a two-time major champion who hasn’t won since the 2015 Open Championship, was 5-under through seven holes, then went 4 under through the first six holes of the back nine before closing with three consecutive pars on the Seaside Course.
Johnson admitted to thinking about shooting a 59 when he birdied No. 15 to reach 9-under.
“I’m just ecstatic (over) the fact I hit every green and gave myself a very just smooth, easy day where I made a couple putts, hit a couple shots close,” Johnson said. “That’s all I can ask for.”
While Johnson shot a 61 to reach 9 under on the Seaside Course, Stallings, Reavie and Hughes all got to 9 under after shooting a 63 on the Plantation Course.
Munoz wasn’t the only player in his group of three with a chance at history. He played alongside Conners, who had six birdies on the front nine of the Seaside Course and was at 7 under through 10 holes. But he managed just one more birdie the rest of the way.
“We kind of fed off each other, we both played great,” Conners said of playing with Munoz. “He had a heck of a round. It was fun to be a part of the group.”
While Thursday’s conditions were still at 71 degrees with a touch of humidity, Friday’s second round is expected to be peppered with high winds.
“The golf courses play totally different just with a little bit of subtle wind change,” said Stallings, who was 6 under over his first nine holes, despite a front-nine bogey. “Anything we’re going to have the rest of the week (weather-wise) is more than we had today.”
Defending champion Robert Streb struggled to keep pace in the first round, firing a 4-under 68 on the Plantation Course to open in a tie for 55th.
–Field Level Media
