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 blissful. I would not say I had my finest stuff on the market at the moment however there was numerous good brief sport pictures, numerous good placing. It was only a good day on the market.”
On his season as an entire, after securing a tour card based mostly on his DP World Tour performances in 2025, Smith added: “All the pieces’s very new – new faces, new locations, new golf programs.
“To adapt to that shortly, I am very proud of that. I’ve loved it loads, it has been good enjoyable.”
Jacob Bridgeman received the Biltmore Championship Asheville final month earlier than having fun with Presidents Cup glory with Group 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 positive factors 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.
Every week after his victory in North Carolina on September 20, Bridgeman was concerned in Group USA’s gorgeous comeback to defeat a world facet on the Presidents Cup, successful 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 received 9 of the 12 singles encounters and tied one other.
Xander Schauffele – who beat Open champion Ryan Fox 2&1 within the last 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 outdoors the highest 30.
Schauffele’s countrymen Max Homa, Pierceson Coody, Mac Meissner and Ricky Castillo share third place, behind Bridgeman and Smith, on six beneath par, with 2024 champion Nico Echavarria 4 off the lead on 4 beneath and simply outdoors 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 Major Occasion from 5am. Newest Sky Sports activities offers or stream with NOW.