J.T. Poston leads RBC Heritage while traveling with newborn baby

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – J.T. Poston’s travel contingent is bigger than normal this week – louder, too.

The Postons took their newborn baby girl, Scottie, with them on the road for the first time. She’s already proving to be the good luck charm. Poston leads the RBC Heritage by two shots after his opening-round 8-under 63.

“It's been great. It's definitely an adjustment,” Poston said. “I think my wife and I were figuring it out. My mom is here. She's helping us out, too. So we've got plenty of help. We're just kind of figuring it out.”

Katherine “Scottie” Poston was born on March 20, three days after the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship (Scottie is a family name on both sides). Poston took the next three weeks off before heading to the Masters alone. This week’s RBC Heritage, roughly two hours from the Postons’ St. Simons home, provided the ideal opportunity for a family affair.

“We've got a two-bedroom condo," Poston said. "My mom is staying with us. We've got (Scottie) in her little setup. Last night my wife was great, she got up in the middle of the night a couple times when she was ready to eat or being fussy and let me sleep, so maybe we'll keep doing that.”

They’d be wise to keep the same routine. Poston made nine birdies Thursday, including six on the front nine as he went out in 30. Poston made three more on the back, more than offsetting his lone bogey of the day at No. 12. Poston led the field in SG: Around the Green and finished second in Putting.

“I felt like it was one of those days where if I could give myself a look, and I felt pretty confident in being able to make those putts, whether it was a close one or a 20-, 25-footer,” Poston said. “It sort of freed up the tee to green a little bit I guess you could say.”

The tee-to-green game has been an issue for Poston in recent weeks. After carding three top 10s and two other top 20s in his first six events, Poston has yet to finish inside the top 25 since the PGA TOUR left the West Coast. Poston chalked up the recent struggles to the ebbs and flows of a season. “It's hard to hit it really good every week,” he said.

Perhaps the key is Scottie. Poston finished T30 at the Masters, his best result in two months, and now leads at Harbour Town Golf Links.

“Maybe that has something to do with it,” Poston said. “It's good to have them here and sort of takes away the pressure of – I'm not worrying about golf when I'm at home. I'm trying to change diapers and take care of her.”