=What Happened
Brandon Mancheno sits at the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the 76th Florida Open Championship, firing a 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead at Lakewood National Golf Club.
In total, 159 players teed it up on Friday at Bradenton Country Club and Lakewood National.
Mancheno got off to a quick start in the first round, birdieing his first three holes. He added three more birdies on the front side to post a bogey-free side at 6 under. His only hiccup of the day came on the 13th.
A wayward tee shot right of the driveable par-4 resulted in a double bogey, but he righted the ship and played the last five holes at 2-under to take a one-shot lead over the field at 7-under 65.
Daniel Robinson and JC Deacon finished the day in a tie for second at 6-under 66. Both players fired a bogey-free round with six birdies to sit one shot back of Mancheno heading into the second round. Hunter Fry, Brian Hughes and Matt Borchert sit in a tie for fourth at 5-under 67.
What’s Next
The second round of the Florida Open Championship will begin Saturday with a cut to low 60 and ties following the second round.
Notable
Eighty-one players teed it up at Bradenton CC, while 78 players teed it up on the Commander Course at Lakewood National.
Fifty-four players finished the day at under par or better.
Two-time Florida Open champion, JC Deacon finished the day in a tie for second after a first-round 66.
Joshua Stewart sits at the top of the Amateur leadboard at 4-under 68. .
The field will be cut to 60 players and ties after tomorrow’s second round.
Mancheno carded the most birdies of the day with nine, while Hughes posted eight.
Quotable
“I’ve got my wife and my kids down here, so I am kind of on vacation. I just came to have fun and sure enough shot 66. Good way to start.” – Deacon on his first-round 66
“It’s nice to be done with school and focus on golf to see where that takes me. Just having fun with the journey and hope something good comes up.” – Mancheno on taking the lead in the Florida Open
"I knew birdies were going to come as long as I stayed patient and kept to my process.” – Robinson on his first-round mindset
“Take what it gives me tomorrow, it is moving day. I need to be patient, par 5s are all reachable, just need putts to start falling." – Fry on Saturday's second round
