Cornish Rookie Harry Hall Leads the Charles Schwab Challenge After Opening Round of 62
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Cornish rookie Harry Hall is chasing his first PGA Tour win after a stunning opening round of 62 at the Charles Schwab Challenge. The former Walker Cup star fired four consecutive birdies around the turn to take a three-shot halfway lead at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Hall, who has already achieved two top 10 finishes in his rookie season, followed his opening round of 62 with a 66 to move to 12 under par, three clear of his closest competitor, American Harris English. English lit up his round of 66 with a hole in one at the eighth hole, while Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo is a shot further back after a best of the day round of 65.
Starting at the 10th, Hall bogeyed the 13th before getting that shot back two holes later and grabbing four straight birdies around the turn to strengthen his position at the top of the leaderboard. That run was ended with a bogey at the third, but Hall birdied the seventh and holed his second attempt to escape a greenside bunker at the eighth after plugging into the side.
Adam Schenk, Byeong Hun An and Robby Shelton were tied for fourth, a stroke behind Grillo and one ahead of Andrew Novak and world number one Scottie Scheffler, who lost in a play-off 12 months ago and had his second consecutive round of 67. Justin Rose, who won at Colonial five years ago, was tied for ninth at 5 under after a bogey-free 66.
Meanwhile, Michael Block, the 46-year-old club pro from California who earned an invitation after tying for 15th at the US PGA Championship, finished last in the 120-strong field at 15 over par but improved on his opening round of 81 by seven strokes.
Hall will now be looking to continue his impressive form and secure his first PGA Tour win at the Charles Schwab Challenge. With the current leaderboard, it promises to be an exciting weekend of golfing action at the Colonial Country Club.