Will Chandler claims first 18-hole lead of career with 64 at Magnit Championship

Things to Know

• Will Chandler, who is making his seventh career start on the Korn Ferry Tour this week, claims the first-round solo lead at the Magnit Championship; the first 18-hole lead/co-lead of his career
• Four players stand at T2 and trail by one stroke, including two-time Korn Ferry Tour winners Tim Widing and Max McGreevy, as well as Frankie Capan III and Chandler Blanchet
• Following the conclusion of the Magnit Championship, the top 156 players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List will qualify for the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron, the first of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events
• Second playing of the Magnit Championship at Metedeconk National Golf Club in Jackson Township, New Jersey

First-Round Lead Notes

0 - First-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Magnit Championship

0 -First-round leaders/co-leaders to win on Tour in 2024

Charting the Leader

Will Chandler (Leader/-8)

• Cards the lowest round of his career with an 8-under 64, rolling in nine birdies (Nos. 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16) against one bogey (No. 17)
• Making his seventh career start on the Korn Ferry Tour
• Owns five made cuts in six previous starts this season, including a T10 at The Ascendant presented by Blue for the best finish of his career
• Began the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season with no status, open qualified into five of the six events he has competed in this season, made his first career start at the 2024 Veritex Bank Championship (T42)
• Entered the week No. 134 on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, earning a spot in this week’s field
• In 2023, he made nine starts on PGA TOUR Canada (now PGA TOUR Americas) with four made cuts, including two top-25 finishes (best finish; T17/Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos CBM Aggregates)
• Earned membership on Tour via a T3 finish at PGA TOUR Canada Qualifying Tournament USA East 3 at RTJ Golf Trail at Highland Oaks in Opelika, Alabama
• Played five seasons at the University of Georgia (2016-21) before turning professional in 2021
• Named the 2014 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Player of the Year
• Atlanta native and currently resides in St. Simons Island, Georgia

Quotables

Will Chandler on his 8-under 64 … “I hit a lot of good shots. I wedged it good, drove it pretty good and some putts fell. It was solid.”

Chandler on what he learned playing on PGA TOUR Canada … “These events are marathons. They're four day events, 72 holes, so you've got to play smart, play the percentages, and over the course of four days it's going to probably leave you in a better position than just attacking flags. You know, you really got to think through things and that starts with the practice rounds.”

Max McGreevy on his bogey-free 7-under 65 … “Just a super solid round. I didn't really have any long par putts or anything that needed to be made. Kind of got off to a good start, gave myself a couple looks, made about a 25 footer on 14 for eagle. That just kind of put me at ease. I just kind of kept trying to hit it to the right parts of the green and give myself opportunities, which I felt like I did. Yeah, was happy to cap it off at the end.”

McGreevy on his mindset since securing his PGA TOUR card for next season … “Yeah, for sure. I've been -- especially missing the cut last week in Omaha -- pretty frustrated honestly the last month or so. I wouldn't say I've gotten lazier since locking up the card and stuff like that. Maybe I expected it to be just as easy as it's been the rest of the season. Five left here, I'm going to gear back in and make a push as much as I can for that No. 1 spot. Everybody's playing really good golf. I want to be up there these last couple weeks and fight for it. Yeah, just put it all on the line so then I can take my two months off after and enjoy it.”

Notes

• Two-time Korn Ferry Tour winners Tim Widing (T2/-7) and Max McGreevy (T2/-7) card bogey-free 7-under 65s and trail by one stroke.
• Frankie Capan III (T2/-7), who is making his second career start at the Magnit Championship, turned in a 7-under 65 with six birdies (Nos. 5, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18) and an eagle (No. 6) against one bogey (No. 15).
• Chandler Blanchet (T2/-7), who won the 2023 Totalplay Cup on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica (now PGA TOUR Americas) to secure fully exempt status for the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, stands at T2 for his best 18-hole position since holding the 18-hole co-lead at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay.
• Korn Ferry Tour rookie Sudarshan Yellamaraju (T6/-6), who entered the week No. 91 on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, stands at T4 after a 6-under 66 for the best 18-hole position of his career.
• PGA TOUR winner Ryan Armour (T6/-6), who is making his fifth start of the season this week, turned in his lowest opening round of the year with a 6-under 66, rolling in seven birdies (Nos. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15) against one bogey (No. 1).
• Mexico’s Emilio Gonzalez (T6/-6), who began the week No. 71 on the 2024 points list, posts a bogey-free round of the season with a 6-under 66 and stands inside the top 10 after the first round for the fourth time this season.
• Second-year member Ricky Castillo (T6/-6), who enters the week No. 34 on the 2024 points list, posts a 6-under 66 and stands inside the top 10 after 18 holes for the first time in his Korn Ferry Tour career.
• Former Oklahoma Sooner Patrick Welch (T11/-5), who finished T3 at the 2023 Magnit Championship, cards an opening round 5-under 67, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th.
• Fifteen professionals played the first-round bogey-free.