SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – It took Nick Taylor two days to complete his first round at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale but when his final putt dropped on Friday around 2:18 p.m. – exactly 20 hours after he teed off on Thursday – he had tied the tournament record with an 11-under 60 to sit atop the leaderboard after the first round of play.
But Taylor didn’t have much time to bask in the glory atop the leaderboard. He began his second round at 2:58 p.m. ET – 40 minutes after finishing his first round.
Torrential rain halted the tournament at 12:32 p.m. ET on Thursday and play resumed at 6 p.m. ET, pushing Taylor’s tee time back from 2:33 p.m. ET, when it was initially scheduled, to 6:18 p.m. He started on the back nine got through six holes before the first round was called because of darkness, but he was already on a roll by them, dropping four birdies before his day ended.
Taylor picked up where he left off when his first round reconvened on the 17th hole Friday morning at 11:13 a.m. ET because of a frost delay. He had seven birdies on Friday to help him get to 60, which tied both the tournament record for lowest round and lowest first round.
The last player to shoot a 60 in a round at the WM Phoenix Open was Phil Mickelson in 2013.
Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy, Doug Ghim and Sahith Theegalaalso are also in the early hunt after shooting first-round 65s.
