Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Englishman Matt Wallace birdied five of his six holes and sailed to an 8-under-par 63 to establish the early lead at the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday in McKinney, Texas.

Wallace’s bogey-free round ended with a birdie at the par-5 18th hole at TPC Craig Ranch. At 8 under, he was one shot ahead of Chesson Hadley, Canada’s Taylor Pendrith and Sweden’s Alex Noren as the rest of the field finished their rounds late Thursday afternoon.

Wallace, 34, has 11 professional wins worldwide — including four on the DP World Tour and one at the PGA Tour’s Corales Puntacana Championship in 2023 in the Dominican Republic — but he’s yet to win on U.S. soil. This might be the week for that to change, as 20th-ranked Jordan Spieth was the only top-20 golfer in the world in the field in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb.

“Watching some of the best players in the world, and what I’m seeing from a lot of them, especially the younger guys, younger than me — I’m not too old, but younger than me — they’re so focused in their shot and not worrying about the outcome or what’s out there,” Wallace said. “That’s what I’m trying to do now. So this might be test number 158 of me with a different round of golf.”

Brad Hopfinger, a 35-year-old who Monday qualified into the Byron Nelson, fired a spotless 6-under 65 to join a tie for fifth with Ben Kohles. Hopfinger finished his round birdie-eagle as he made an 18-foot eagle putt at the last.

Also making his PGA Tour debut was 16-year-old amateur Kris Kim of England, who chipped in for eagle from 67 feet away on his final hole (the par-5 ninth) to shoot a 3-under 68.

–Field Level Media