The final event of the wraparound portion of the 2015-16 season, the RSM Classic, is underway on Sea Island, Ga. and Kevin Kisner owns the solo first-round lead. After a rain-delayed start to Thursday, players were able to have ball in hand with preferred lies, which led to low scores on both the Seaside and Plantation Courses at Sea Island Golf Club.
As expected, the Seaside Course was the harder of the two layouts used for this week’s RSM Classic. pic.twitter.com/cDlDrn7spt
— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) November 19, 2015
(Note: Par on Seaside is 70; Par on Plantation is 72)
Kisner fired an opening-round 7-under par 65 on the Plantation Course to hold a one-shot lead over a group of eight players. He made five birdies and one eagle, a bomb on the 8th hole, his 17th of the day.
If you’re going to take the lead, do it with an eagle like Kevin Kisner just did. #QuickHits https://t.co/GpDCzX6d9f
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2015
The group at 6-under includes David Hearn, Jeff Overton, Jim Herman, Tom Hoge, Kevin Chappell, Scott Stallings and Kyle Stanley, who hit perhaps the shot of the day at the 18th hole on the Plantation Course.
Kyle Stanley was this close to an albatross at the Plantation Course’s 18th hole. #QuickHits https://t.co/dolvLLPyVg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2015
The story of the day, however, was the threesome of Davis Love III, Davis Love IV and Justin Thomas. While JT was the low man in the group with a 3-under par 67 on Seaside, the father-son duo of Davis and Dru (short for quaDRUple), stole the show on their home course.
Love III has been a Sea Island resident since he was 13 years old and is the tournament host. His son, a junior on the Alabama golf team, earned his way into the event by virtue of a qualifying exemption. After a pair of opening-hole birdies for the Loves, the rest of the way was a pillow fight as both finished up the first round with even par 70s. They are tied for 111th.
