Johnson, Sabbatini and Harman tied for lead after 1st round of John Deere Classic
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Zach Johnson, Rory Sabbatini and Brian Harman
shot 8-under-par 63s Thursday to share the lead after the first
round of the John Deere Classic.
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Johnson and Sabbatini played bogey-free golf, while Harman had nine
birdies and one bogey on the par-71 TPC Deere Run.
They led 2004 British Open champion Todd Hamilton, Australian Steven Bowditch and
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William McGirt, the best afternoon finisher, by a stroke.
Johnson, who won the Deere in 2012 and lost it to Jordan Spieth in a
playoff last year, birdied four of his first five holes and was 6
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under on his opening nine.
Harman, who bettered his best round of the year by two strokes, was 2
under through six holes when his caddie, Scott Tway, took ill. Jay
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Hatch of Davenport, Iowa, a high school basketball coach, volunteered
from the gallery, and carried Harman's bag the last 12 holes, which
Harman played in 6 under.