Korea’s Noh fires “amazing” 60 for 3-shot lead at AT&T Byron Nelson

Khel Today Bureau

McKinney, Texas, US: Korea’s S.Y.Noh, who won once on the PGA TOUR back in 2014, had an “amazing” day as he charged to a three-shot first round lead over Australia’s Adam Scott and Marty Zecheng Dou of China at the AT&T Byron Nelson. Noh shot a career low 11-under 60 on Thursday.

The 31-year-old Noh, whose lone win was the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2014,  needed only 21 putts at TPC Craig Ranch as he sank an eagle and nine birdies to tie the tournament 18-hole record and season’s low round.

He even overcame a  cracked driver as he bids to become  the fourth Korean winner at the AT&T Byron Nelson.

Playing on his adopted home course, Dou, who is Dallas resident, birdied five of his last seven holes to also post his personal low round and was Tied second alongside Adam Scott with a round of 8-under 63.

It was also a good day for Korea’s four-time TOUR winner Si Woo Kim, who snared seven birdies on way to a 65 while former AT&T Byron Nelson champions Sung Kang and Sangmoon Bae, rookie S.H. Kim and Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama opened with 66s. Two-time defending champion K.H. Lee carded a 70 while playing alongside World and FedExCup No. 2, Scottie Scheffler who delighted his hometown fans with a 64.

Noh, who turned pro in 2007, has not won since his 2014 win on PGA TOUR. In 2017 he took time off golf to do ‘mandatory military service’ in Korea and returned to action in 2019. He has won on the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, Korn Ferry and the Asian Tours.

“You know, just everything was going amazing,” said a beaming Noh. “Like not perfect, it’s going just amazing today. Off the tee, missed two drivers because of the crack of the driver’s head. Except the two shots off the tee through the green, everything was going perfectly. I’m really happy for my career low,” said Noh.

Needing an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, Noh resisted the temptation to attack the hole where the green is guarded by a creek. He thought about pulling out his 3-wood but opted to layup instead which yielded his final birdie of the day. “It’s like borderline. I’m just trying to make birdie, just forget about the eagle and 59,” he said.