– Adam Hadwin had too many birdies to complain about ending his round at the Memorial on a sour note Thursday. His 6-under 66 was enough to lead Masters champion Scottie Scheffler by 1 shot and give the Canadian hope he is turning the corner at the right time.
Hadwin was among the few who conquered a Muirfield Village course that was soft from rain but no less punishing. He birdied four of five holes toward the end of the first round — after four birdies on the front nine — until missing a 5-foot par putt on the tough 18th.
For Scheffler and PGA champion Xander Schauffele, it was more of the same.
Scheffler opened with two birdies in four holes — he missed birdie chances from 6 feet and 8 feet on the other two — and was humming along until a big clump of mud slowed him on the par-5 fifth hole and led to bogey.
“I’m going to go to the range and hit the center of the clubface a little more, find some more fairways and greens,” he said. “I’m happy. I’m happy with how I stuck in there and really happy my short game bailed me out on a day that could have been a lot worse.”
Corey Conners, Collin Morikawa and Ludvig Åberg also were at 68, with defending champion Viktor Hovland among those at 69.