Wyndham Clark delivered a masterclass performance in the opening round of the Phoenix Open, carding a seven-under-par 64 to seize a one-shot lead. The 2023 US Open champion was in sublime form, recording seven birdies without a single bogey at the iconic TPC Scottsdale.

Clark’s round was a testament to his patience and precision. “I haven’t played my best golf the last few weeks, so it’s nice to kind of have a clean round where we did a lot of good things,” he said. “I was really patient and kind of eased my way into the round.”

Hot on his heels are fellow Americans Taylor Moore and Lee Hodges, who are tied for second place after posting impressive six-under-par scores. A group of six players, including Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, are just two shots behind Clark, setting the stage for a thrilling battle in the coming rounds.

Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler had a challenging start to his campaign, finishing five shots off the lead with a 69. This marks his second event of the year following surgery on his hand, which he injured on a broken wine glass. Despite the setback, Scheffler remains a formidable contender.

Play was suspended due to darkness, leaving nine players to complete their rounds when action resumes on Friday at 15:15 GMT. With such a tightly packed leaderboard, the Phoenix Open promises to deliver high drama and exceptional golf in the days ahead.