Everything you need to know from day one in Memphis.
We all got treated to a full English, Poults was laser focused and there was plenty of colour on day one of the 2021 WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.
Here is everything you need to know from round one at TPC Southwind.
Fast start sends English soaring
Harris English started his round with four birdies and then added another three in five holes to turn in 28 and match the lowest nine holes on the 2021 Race to Dubai - but his back nine was possibly even more impressive. After bogeys on the tenth and 12th, he fought back with three gains in his last four holes to sign for a 62 and lead by two. "Birdieing the first four holes is good all the time," he said. "It was just one of those rounds where you're hitting it where you're looking. Everything was working, you just kind of get in the zone. All you're thinking are positive thoughts, you're hitting good shots and hitting good putts so you just try and keep the gas pedal down."
Poults taking it one shot at a time
Ian Poulter has the chance to join an exclusive club this week. The Englishman won the WGC-Match Play in 2010 and WGC-HSBC Champions in 2012 and a victory on Sunday would make him just the sixth player to win three or more World Golf Championships. An opening 64 in Memphis put him in a fine position to join Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Geoff Ogilvy in that club, but Poulter was refusing to get carried away. "I don't see it as any different to any normal tournament I'm going to play in the whole season," he said. "The only thing I'm focused on is playing as well as I possibly can." A focused Poulter is a dangerous Poulter.
Speaking of Poults.....
He often wears incredible trousers but Thursday's were something else.
Zalatoris and Homa light up the fairways
This event has long been linked with the St Jude Children's Research Hospital and over the years has raised a lot of money for that facility. This week, two patients from the hospital have designed shoes for Will Zalatoris and Max Homa and we reckon they're the best you're going to see.
Great work, guys.
Ortiz bounces back in style
Carlos Ortiz's round on Thursday was 14 shots better than his last one on Sunday but he was still purring about his Olympic Men's Golf Competition experience. The Mexican started his week in Tokyo 65-67-69 and while his final round ended his chances of a medal, he was still taking the positives in Tennessee. "I just realised that my game was there," he said. "I felt like I put myself in contention for three days and that's huge, pretty much for the whole tournament. When you're doing that, you have to be playing well. You can put yourself in contention one day or the first day but when you're pretty much the whole tournament, you have to be playing well and that gives me a lot of confidence. I feel that my game is in good position right now." He heads into Friday just two off the lead.
