Power Rankings: 3M Open

College football rivalries run deep, especially when they are for a national championship. Defending FedExCup champion and former University of Alabama player Justin Thomas confirmed as much when he challenged Gerogia Bulldog and fellow TOUR player Kevin Kisner to a bet over the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship, with the loser having to wear the other team’s jersey. Kisner happily accepted.

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DETROIT — Davis Thompson, in his third PGA TOUR event as a professional, is leading the Rocket Mortgage Classic. RELATED: Leaderboard | Bryson DeChambeau will have new caddie in Rocket Mortgage defense He’s not excited about that fact. Yet. “Sounds good on Sunday,” Thompson said after matching a Detroit Golf Club record with a 9-under 63 to take the early first-round lead. “It’s only Thursday. I know I’ve got a long way to go.” Brandon Hagy and Tom Lewis were two shots back. Seamus Power and J.J. Spaun shot 66, putting them another stroke behind the surprising leader. Thompson is in the field as a sponsor exemption after sending an email to tournament officials, asking for a spot. The 22-year-old former University of Georgia star missed the cut last week at the Travelers Championship after tying for 35th in his pro debut at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree earlier in June. It is unlikely anyone saw his breakthrough round coming after he was a combined 6-over par in six previous starts — four as an amateur — on the PGA TOUR. Thompson did show a flash of promise when he competed in the 2020 U.S. Open as an amateur, opening with a 69 before missing the cut at 7-over 147. Thompson took advantage of favorable conditions with rain-softened greens and light wind Thursday morning at Detroit Golf Club, missing only one green and needing just 26 putts in his bogey-free round with nine birdies. “If the putter gets hot, you can just kind of ride that wave throughout the day,” he said. Thompson resumed his round after play was suspended due to inclement weather for three-plus hours. He tied the course record shared by Nate Lashley, who won the inaugural event in 2019, and J.T. Poston. “I’ve played in a few pro events now, so you’ve just got to keep your emotions in check,” Thompson said. “Anything can happen. I know I’m playing well, so I’m just going to have some confidence going into (Friday) and hopefully I can play another good round.” Players with afternoon tee times had to endure a long wait to begin playing and wind that was 5 to 10 mph stronger than it was in the morning. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau got off to a shaky start, a day after parting ways with caddie Tim Tucker. He replaced him for this week with Cobra-Puma Golf TOUR operations manager Ben Schomin, who said he was a caddie in competition for the first time. DeChambeau is trying to win a PGA TOUR event in consecutive years for the first time. He had a chance two weeks ago to repeat at the U.S. Open, but went from leading the major with nine holes left to faltering and finishing in a tie for 26th. And now, the big hitter might not make the cut and that would be a blow for him. DeChambeau missed the fairway to the right at Nos. 2 and 3, leading to bogeys. At the par-3, 184-yard ninth hole, he was short off the tee, on his chip and 10-foot putt to put another bogey on his card that dropped him to even-par 36 at the turn.

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Tiger Woods appears ready to return to action at the Players Championship after missing the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a neck strain.

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