CHANDLER BLANCHET TAKES BERMUDA CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Chandler Blanchet shot a season-best nine-under-par 62 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. He made two eagles and six birdies at Port Royal in Southampton, Bermuda. Ben Kohles, Danny Walker, Corey Conners and Ben Silverman shared second place. Blanchet dropped his only shot at the par-four fourth, his 13th hole, after missing the green to the left. Players faced changing winds and passing showers during the round.

Blanchet holed an eagle putt from just over 50 feet at the 17th after leaving his approach well right of the hole. “Just dripped in on the last revolution,” he said. At the seventh, his final hole, he hit a five-iron approach to about five feet and made his second eagle. Blanchet joined the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 and is nearing the end of his first full season on the PGA Tour. He seeks his first PGA Tour win after finishing second at the Puerto Rico Open in March.

The FedExCup Fall standings place Blanchet 114th, with five tournaments left in the season and the top 100 set to retain full status for 2027. Kohles, who made six consecutive birdies, stands 80th after tying for 17th at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan. A top-60 finish would qualify him for two $20 million signature events. Aaron Baddeley shot 69 to share 60th place, while fellow Australian Cam Davis finished a shot behind him. Lucas Herbert won the Bermuda tournament in 2021.