NASSAU, Bahamas — When it comes to major breakthroughs, J.B. Holmes and Hideki Matsuyama hope they can follow the path of Jordan Spieth, who used momentum from a 2014 Hero World Challenge title to win two majors in 2015.
Holmes fired an eight-under 64 to seize a one-stroke lead over Maruyama after Thursday’s first round of the 18-man Bahamas invitational event hosted by Tiger Woods, who made his return after a 16-month layoff with a 73.
Spieth won the 2014 Australian Open, then took the Challenge crown and a 2015 PGA event in Florida, momentum that carried into victories at the 2015 Masters and US Open for his first major titles.
Matsuyama and Holmes would not mind similar success at the Challenge this week and the momentum carryover in the majors next year.
Holmes is coming off a 2016 season that saw him finish fourth at the Masters and third at the British Opens, the best major results of his career, and enjoy six top-six efforts in all. But he hasn’t won since the 2015 Houston Open.
Matsuyama achieved his best major finish with a share of fourth at this year’s PGA Championship, his fifth top-10 major effort, and is coming off a victory at the World Golf Championships HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
Matsuyama found his way Thursday with birdies on six of the last 10 holes following a double bogey at the eighth that wiped out his birdies on two of the first three holes.
Holmes opened with his lone bogey of the round, birdied the par-5 third and sixth then reeled off three birdies in a row starting at the par-3 eighth and added an eagle at the par-5 11th.
Reigning US Open champion Dustin Johnson of the United States was third on 66 with British Open winner Henrik Stenson of Sweden, South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and American Matt Kuchar on 67.
Dodt holds halfway lead
Australia’s Andrew Dodt fired a five-under 67 to hold a two-shot halfway lead in the Australian PGA Championship with Adam Scott making his move at the Royal Pines Resort Friday.
Overnight leader Dodt fought his way to the top of the leader board after Ashley Hall carded a three-under 69 to be the early clubhouse leader.
Dodt holed six birdies and a bogey in the lowest round of the day to get to 12-under and lead at the halfway stage of the European Tour co-sanctioned event.
World No. 7 and 2013 US Masters champion Adam Scott surged home in 32 for a second consecutive round of 68 to be at eight under and four strokes behind Dodt.
New Zealander Ryan Fox was in joint third with Scott after a three-under 69 and a shot clear of American Harold Varner III, who carded a par 72.
Varner battled back from back-to-back double-bogeys on the 15th and 16th with three birdies in his last five holes to sit a shot ahead of Australian John Senden and fellow American Julian Suri. Greg Chalmers, Brad Kennedy and Thailand’s Natipong Srithong were at five-under. — Agencies
