BLAINE: Adam Svensson of Canada eagled the final hole at TPC Twin Cities to shoot a course-record 60 and take the first-round lead at the 3M Open on Thursday in Blaine, Minnesota
Svensson was already working on a sterling round, with nine birdies and no bogeys through 17 holes. He reached the green at the par-5 18th hole in two shots and had two putts to break the course record.
He only needed one.
Svensson’s uphill eagle attempt from just more than 48 feet hit the flagstick and dropped for an eagle, finishing an 11-under round with matching 30s on both nines.
“I just didn’t want to leave it short,” Svensson said. “It was carrying a little bit of speed and (caddie Jace Walker) gave me a good line and it just happened to go in.”
It was a round few would have predicted. Svensson, who won the 2022 RSM Classic, has plummeted to 234th in the Official World Golf Ranking while missing 11 of his first 21 cuts in 2025. That includes his two most recent starts entering this week and four of his past five.
But Svensson could feel a memorable round incoming after what he described as a great range session before his tee time.
“Just really putted amazing,” Svensson added. “I made a bunch of breakers. It was probably my best putting round I ever had, so I’m pretty happy.”
He broke the previous course record of 62 originally set by Scott Piercy in 2019, and matched by Sam Stevens’ round that was completed just a few groups ahead of Svensson on Thursday.
Stevens is tied for second at 9 under with Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen.
Stevens was on 59 watch when he reached 10 under through 16 holes. He narrowly missed a birdie putt on the 17th hole and then put his approach on 18 in the water. Stevens had to settle for a 62 after closing with a bogey.
“I had a good drive and I probably made the decision trying to shoot 59 because I was in between — I have a pretty big gap between my 3-iron and my 3-wood, and I hit a terrible shot,” Stevens said. “But I thought if I hit a 3-wood, it was just going to fly to the back of the green, and I kind of had to hit a 3-iron perfect to even cover the water. But I figured that was my best chance to shoot 59, so I gave it a go.
“Didn’t hit a good shot, but made a nice up-and-down for 6, so I guess that’s a positive. Yeah, not the best way to finish the round, but gave it a crack.”
Chris Gotterup continued his hot streak after winning the Genesis Scottish Open and placing third in his debut at the Open Championship. Gotterup fired a bogey-free, 8-under 63 and was tied for fourth with Chad Ramey and Germany’s Matti Schmid.
“Someone asked me last week if you’ve ever been on a heater, and I said I guess this is kind of my first one,” Gotterup said. “Yeah, you know, I’m just going to try to ride it out as long as I can.”
Jake Knapp, Chris Kirk, Zac Blair and Brendan Valdes were tied at 7-under 64. Rickie Fowler was among those to shoot a 65, as he turned in a card with six birdies and no bogeys.
“A lot of good swings, a couple loose ones, but I’m definitely happy about (his round),” Fowler said. “Obviously, playing fairly easy out there with the soft conditions. Svensson put together a nice round. It was definitely out there, a lot of birdies to be made, but at the same time there’s a few holes that you have to keep your guard up in a way and make sure you execute.”
Fowler is searching for a jolt as the regular season winds down, as is Max Homa, a former top-five player in the world currently outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings. Homa opened with a 5-under 66.
Defending champion Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela posted a 3-under 68, and 2022 champ Tony Finau shot a 2-under 69.
