PUTNAM SETS PACE WITH 63 IN CALIFORNIA

FIRST-DAY REPORT FROM SEAN MARTIN
US PGA TOUR

LA QUINTA, California – Patrick Reed didn’t work on his golf game last week.
“(I) worked on my forehead tan. Seemed like that got more attention than the actual golf game,” Reed joked in his pre-tournament press conference at this week’s Humana Challenge US PGA Tour event.
A picture of his pale forehead contrasted with his tan face made the rounds on social media during the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He won that event by beating Jimmy Walker in a play-off, then spent a week relaxing at Kapalua before defending the Humana title he won in 2014.
Reed estimated he played 13 holes last week with wife Justine at Kapalua.  
Today, Patrick picked up right where he left off, opening his defence with a seven-under 65 at La Quinta Country Club. He’s two shots behind leader Michael Putnam.
The Hyundai win was Reed’s fourth in his past 35 starts. That includes a record-setting performance at last year’s Humana, when he opened with three consecutive 63s. Reed is two shots off last year’s pace, but happy with the start.
“My confidence is as high as it could be, and the main thing is just not getting ahead of myself and not really being over-confident where I take too many unnecessary risks,” Reed said. "I feel like I did that really well today.”
Reed, who averaged 315yd off the tee today, is 28 under par for his first five rounds of 2015. He made birdies on La Quinta’s fifth and sixth holes, then rolled off five in a row on Nos. 9-13.
Michael Putnam's US PGA Tour career got off to a hot start. The 2005 NCAA runner-up, he finished four on his Tour debut at the 2005 Travellers Championship. Nine years later, that still ranks as his highest pro finish.

He’s off to a good start here as he tries to best that mark.
Putnam shot 9-under 63 on PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course to take the first-round lead. He made par on his first six holes before making birdie on nine of the last 12.
Holding the first-round lead, especially this week, is of little significance. Three courses – La Quinta Country Club and PGA West’s Palmer Private and Nicklaus Private – are in use, and the winning score will likely fall around 25 under par.
“You have to … mentally throw this one away because you’re not going to play the Nicklaus (again),” Putnam said. “The focus for me is on the Palmer tomorrow and then La Quinta on Saturday. There’s a lot of birdies going to be made in 54 holes by a lot of guys. So I have to make a lot of birdies.”
Phil Mickelson's one-under 71 at La Quinta Country Club was nothing to write home about, although he did hole a bunker shot. It is one of the easiest courses on the US Tour.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD
+Three courses being used, all par 72 Players from USA unless stated otherwise
63 Michael Putnam
64 Francesco Molinari (Italy), John Peterson, Blake Adams, Scott Pinckney, Mark Wilson,
65 Matt Kuchar, Jason Kokrak, Patrick Reed

SELECTED SCORES
67 Brian Davis (England)
68 Martin Laird (Scotland)
69 Russell Knox (Scotland)
71 Phil Mickelson

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