Friday 1 February 2019 23:34, UK
Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas sit part of a three-way tie for the lead after the opening round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The American duo posted bogey-free 64s to set the clubhouse target on a day of low scoring at TPC Scottsdale, before afternoon starter Harold Varner III carded seven birdies to join them on seven under.
Scotland's Martin Laird sits a shot off the pace alongside J.T Poston, while Tyrrell Hatton is in the group two strokes back alongside Bubba Watson after a five-under 66.
"I was in control of everything tee to green," Thomas said. "I didn't necessarily get off to the greatest start score-wise, but I felt like I was playing well."
Beginning on the back nine and a group ahead of Fowler, Thomas made a two-putt gain at the 15th and holed a 10-footer at the 18th for the first of four consecutive birdies around the turn.
Fowler followed a birdie at the 12th with a long-range eagle at the next and made a six-foot gain at the 17th, only for Thomas to briefly edge ahead by following a 15-foot birdie at the fifth with another from close range at the sixth.
Thomas lost his outright advantage when Fowler matched his birdies at the third and sixth and converted from eight feet at the eighth, his penultimate hole, as the pair closed out blemish-free rounds to sit two strokes clear of the other morning starters.
Varner drained a 40-foot birdie on his way to a front-nine 31 and made two-putt birdies on the 13th and 15th, before holing from distance at the par-three 16th to make it a three-way tie at the top.
Jon Rahm opened with a four-under 67, while defending champion Gary Woodland sits in the group four off the pace alongside two-time Phoenix winner Hideki Matsuyama and Phil Mickelson - making his 30th appearance in the event.
Watch the Waste Management Phoenix Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday, with Featured Groups live from 2.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.
