Zack Byrd of Murrells Inlet shot a 6-over 77 and is tied for 127th in his first PGA Tour event. He was even par through seven holes with a bogey and birdie, and bogeyed six of his final 11 holes. He believes it could have been a lot better based on the way he hit the ball. He said he missed only four of 14 fairways.
“I played a whole lot better than 77, which is very frustrating in my first real big tournament. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I was going to be and got off to a pretty good start and got through the difficult part of the golf course at 1 over and was pretty happy with that. I played really well and just putted terrible.
“It seemed like the whole day I hit it on the wrong side of the hole . . . where I couldn’t be aggressive.”
Byrd teed off on the back nine and said he made good par putts on the 11th and 14th holes. He said he got a bit unlucky on a few holes, including the fifth where a shot kicked to one side into a bunker leading to a bogey, the seventh when his approached bounced off the back of the green for a bogey, and the eighth where a par putt horseshoed out. “It was just one of those days that nothing went right.” Byrd said. “I hit it really well. [Caddie] Frank [Starace] and I discussed if you get in trouble just don’t make a double. I didn’t make a double, I just didn’t think I’d make that many bogeys and not make any birdies.
He’s encouraged by what he saw and believes making the cut Friday isn’t out of the question. “It’s out there if I hit it as good as I did and the putter wakes up,” Byrd said. “I can get it under par on this golf course. As much went wrong I still have a legitimate chance to make the cut.”
