Day, Scott start poorly at PGA's Memorial

Australian world No.3 Jason Day has made another sluggish start to his hometown event, shooting a 75 during the first round at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Australian golfer Adam Scott

Adam Scott (pic) and Jason Day are struggling during the first round of the Memorial Tournament. (AAP)

Jason Day has written another the chapter in his series of hometown headaches after another sluggish start to the US PGA Tour's Memorial event in Ohio.

The Australian world No.3, a Columbus resident and member of host course Muirfield Village, has never finished inside the top-25 at the Jack Nicklaus-hosted event.

And the 29-year-old Day again started poorly with a three-over-par 75 during Thursday's opening round, ensuring he'll start day two a distant 10 shots back of the lead.

American Jason Dufner and Swede David Lingmerth, who won the event in 2015, set the pace at seven under with sizzling 65s.

The duo lead by one shot from world No.6 Jordan Spieth (66), who shares third place at six under with fellow American Daniel Summerhays.

Day's lacklustre round comes just two weeks after a season-best runner-up finish at the recent Byron Nelson Classic, where the former world No.1 lost in a sudden-death playoff to American Billy Horschel.

Queenslander Day played down a home-ground advantage at Muirfield Village, having not played the course in 2017 until this week.

"I haven't typically played well here. But I've come to Memorial this week not seeing the course at all this year. This is my home club and I haven't played it, which is crazy. But I enjoy the golf course and it'd be nice to change my past results here," Day told AAP.

Playing partner and compatriot Scott was also left to rue a nightmare 76 which culminated with a double-bogey six at the last hole.

"It was horrific. Everyone chopped it out there. It was a poor finish after clawing it back," said Scott, who is tied for 82nd.

"But I don't think too much of it; I'll try to get off to a better start in the second round."

It left Marc Leishman (70) as the leading Australian at two under sharing 13th place, while veterans Steven Bowditch and Rod Pampling and rookie Brett Coletta each fired an even 72 to tie for 35th.

Of the other Australians, Cameron Smith had 74, Greg Chalmers and Matt Griffin had 75s, Aaron Baddeley a 76, newly-minted professional Curtis Luck a 77 while Victorian teenager Ryan Ruffels was dead last after an 81 with 10 bogeys.


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Source: AAP



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Day, Scott start poorly at PGA's Memorial | SBS News