June 25 (UPI) -- Mackenzie Hughes shot a career-best 60 Thursday to grab a three-stroke lead in the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
Hughes, 29, had an opportunity to record the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history on the first day of the Travelers, but his 40-foot birdie attempt on his final hole came up short.
Jim Furyk shot a 12-under 58 -- the lowest score in a Tour event -- on the same course four years ago.
"I kind of joked walking off there that 59 wasn't even the record because of Jim's 58," Hughes said. "It's probably not even that special around here. But as a personal milestone it would have been neat."
Related
Hughes' bogey-free 60 gave him a three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland, who each shot 7-under 63 in the opening round. Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen were among the six players who sat in a tie for fifth at 6-under par.
Bryson DeChambeau opened with a 65, while Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and Jason Day each shot 3-under 67. Furyk and Dustin Johnson finished 1-under par.
There were 106 players who broke par in the first round at the Travelers. The record for a day at TPC River Highlands came in 2011, when 111 players were at 1-under or better in the second round.
Prior to the tournament's start, Brooks Koepka and last week's RBC Heritage winner Webb Simpson withdrew because of concerns about the coronavirus. The Travelers Championship is the third event on the PGA Tour schedule since golf resumed.
