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2D AGO

Thomas Rosenmueller takes early lead at Korn Ferry Tour Championship

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Daily Wrap Up

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    Written by Staff @PGATOUR

    Things to know

    • Thomas Rosenmueller, No. 10 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List and already declared #TOURBound, secures his first outright 18-hole lead after carding the only bogey-free round of the day with a 5-under 67.
    • Four players are tied at 4-under par, one shot off the lead, including three players who currently sit outside of the top 30 on the points list: Zach Bauchou (No. 35), Alvaro Ortiz (No. 55) and DocRedman (No. 57).
    • Bauchou is the only player currently projected to move into the top 30 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List (from 35th to 24th), while the only player projected to fall out of the 30 is Aldrich Potgieter (from 27th to 31st), who opened in 2-over 74.
    • Sam Bennett entered the week No. 30 on the Points List, projects to move up to No. 26 following an even-par 72.
    • The Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance is the 26th and final event of the 2024 season, and the top 30 players on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List upon conclusion of the final round will earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2025 season.
    • Upon conclusion of the final round, players ranked Nos. 31-60 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn an exemption to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, where 2025 PGA TOUR membership will be awarded to the top five finishers and ties.

    Thomas Rosenmueller (Leader/-5)

    • Only player to record a bogey-free round Thursday, made five total birdies (Nos. 4, 5, 9, 10, 18) en route to a 5-under 67.
    • Clinches the first outright 18-hole lead of his Korn Ferry Tour career (making 69th start this week); he held a share of the 18-hole lead two weeks ago at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (finished T2).
    • Entered the week No. 10 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List and having already achieved #TOURBound status, assuring him of finishing inside the top 30 at season’s end to secure PGA TOUR membership for the 2025 season.
    • In 23 starts this season, has six top-10 finishes and nine top-25s, including his first career PGA TOUR-sanctioned win at the NV5 Invitational presented by Old National Bank, where he tied the 72-hole tournament scoring record of 25-under 259.
    • Has four top-five finishes in his last six starts, including the aforementioned win at the NV5 Invitational and a co-runner-up finish in his most recent start (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship).
    • Finished No. 67 on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List to earn fully exempt membership for 2024, with the highlight of the season being a solo-third finish at the 2023 Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron.
    • Finished No. 158 on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Points List as a rookie, but retained membership with a solo-fifth finish at Final Stage of the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament (now PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry).
    • Earned Korn Ferry Tour membership for the first time ahead of the 2022 season, as he finished T11 at Final Stage of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.
    • Won three times on the Pro Golf Tour to win the 2020 Order of Merit and earn membership on the Challenge Tour for 2021.
    • Turned professional in 2019 after four seasons at University of North Texas (2015-19), winning two individual titles and earning All-Conference USA Second Team honors in 2016 and 2017.

    Quotables

    Thomas Rosenmueller on the challenge of The Pete Dye Course at French Lick … “The course plays quite difficult. Narrow fairways. You have some areas where you can't quite feel the wind. It comes from the opposite side where it feels like on the tee. I missed a couple fairways just by a little bit, kind of got fortunate with some decent lies there. The tee shot makes the second shot a lot easier. Greens are very small, but the home course I play at the Country Club of Dallas is the same way. That's where I was practicing and playing a lot leading up to this event. At the end of the day, distance control is king and I've done a good job of that.”

    Rosenmueller on playing with PGA TOUR membership for 2025 already secured … “I'm still trying to win, but at the end of the day it's free balling. I try not to get bothered by bad breaks or maybe some missed shots. It's a lot easier when you've got your card locked up and you don't play for your life. I'm still trying to win and that's what I'm here for.”

    Additional first-round notes

    • Second-year member Ortiz (T2/-4) opens in 4-under 68, making six birdies against two bogeys; he sits inside the top 10 after 18 holes for the fourth time this season, and the second time in his last three starts (T7/Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation/finished T35).
      • Ortiz, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, entered the week No. 55 on the Points List after recording three top-10s in 24 starts this season
    • Redman (T2/-4) secures his best 18-hole position of the season following a 4-under 68 (previous season-high 18-hole position: T6/Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron/finished T12).
      • Currently No. 57 on the Points List after six top-25s in 23 starts this year, Redman is in his first full Korn Ferry Tour season after spending the previous four seasons on the PGA TOUR, where he made 110 starts from 2019-23
    • Ryan Gerard (T2/-4), who sits 11th on the Points List and has already secured #TOURBound status, sits one shot off the lead and is inside the top 10 after 18 holes for the 10th time this season.
      • Gerard has played in all 26 events and recorded 12 top-25 finishes, tied with Matt McCarty for the second most by any player this season (Quade Cummins/13).
    • Bauchou (T2/-4) sits inside the top 10 after 18 holes for the fourth time in his last eight starts.
      • Currently No. 35 on the Points List, Bauchou has recorded nine top-25 finishes, including four top-10s, in 23 starts this season.
    • Jeremy Paul (T6/-3) sits 22nd on the points list after tallying seven top-25s this season, highlighted by his first career victory at the season-opening The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay.
    • Rookie Austin Hitt (T6/-3) records 3-under 69 with six birdies against a bogey and double bogey.
      • Hitt has played in all 25 events prior to this week and has seven top-25s, including three top-10s, and currently sits 47th on the points list.
    • Max McGreevy (T6/-3), one of four players bidding to become the 14th player in Tour history to earn the Three-Victory Promotion, opens in 3-under 69 and sits inside the top 10 after the first round for the fifth time this season.
    • Based on current projections, the last five players in the top 30 are:
      • No. 26 Bennett (T24/E) – began week No. 30
      • No. 27 Ricky Castillo (T61/+3) – began week No. 24
      • No. 28 Kaito Onishi (T30/+1) – began week No. 28
      • No. 29 Trevor Cone (T30/+1) – began week No. 29
      • No. 30 Noah Goodwin (T45/+2) – began week No. 26
    • Based on current projections, the first five players out of the top 30 are:
      • No. 31 Potgieter (T45/+2) – began week No. 27
      • No. 32 Trent Phillips (T61/+3) – began week No. 31
      • No. 33 Trey Winstead (T30/+1) – began week No. 32
      • No. 34 Kyle Westmoreland (T11/-2) – began week No. 34
      • No. 35 Brandon Crick (T30/+1) – began week No. 33