PALM BEACH GARDENS – First-year PGA Tour member Kurt Kitayama carded a career-low (64) and holds his first lead/co-lead after any round on Tour. He leads by one stroke as Rory Sabbatini, Daniel Berger and Chris Kirk each shot (65) in the first-round of The Honda Classic.
Kitayama opened with three consecutive birdies (Nos. 10-12) and made a career-high four in a row, playing (Nos. 3-6). His previous career-best Tour result was a T-17 at the 2017 Puerto Rico Open. Kitayama competed at the 2020 Honda Classic on a sponsor exemption and finished T-47.
Berger played his third bogey-free round at the event, tied for second-most since it moved to PGA National in 2007. The most? Luke Donald with four.
Chris Kirk is T-2 at (-5), leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (3.620) but entered the week T-100th on Tour in that category (0.030 per round) while 2011 Honda Classic winner Rory Sabbatini is T-2 (-5). He opened with a bogey-free (65), his first bogey-free score in 37 rounds at PGA National.
The Honda Classic | Leaderboard After Round 1 (partial)
Kirt Kitayama 64 (-6)
Rory Sabbatini 65 (-5)
Daniel Berger 65 (-5)
Chris Kirk 65 (-5)