Taylor Pendrith took two weeks off after the Presidents Cup and came back strong, matching his career-low on the PGA Tour with a 10-under 61, giving him a three-shot lead in the Shriners Children’s Open on Thursday.
Pendrith only missed one fairway and one green at TPC Summerlin, both on the same hole. He pulled his tee shot on the 18th hole—his ninth—had to pitch out sideways, hit a wedge to 7 feet, and saved his par.
The rest of his round featured big drives, many wedges, and solid putting. His only disappointment came on the par-5 ninth, his last hole. He had 200 yards to the green and knew that making an eagle would get him a score of 59.
“I tried to be aggressive and hit a good shot and just didn’t catch all of it, and came up short right in the bunker,” Pendrith said.
He blasted out to 12 feet but missed the putt, missing a chance to tie the course record at Summerlin, which was last set by Rod Pampling in 2017. Pendrith also shot a 61 in the Bermuda Championship three years ago.
Bud Cauley and Matti Schmid were among 10 players at 7-under 64. The first round was suspended by darkness, marking the second straight week that the opening round could not be finished without weather delays. Seven players did not complete their rounds.
Pendrith played in the morning, before the wind picked up. The forecast predicts stronger winds on Friday, possibly reaching over 20 mph.
Tom Kim, the two-time defending champion, needed to make five birdies over the last 11 holes to finish with a 69. He is now eight shots behind in his attempt to become the first player since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic (2009-11) to win the same PGA Tour event three times in a row.
Matt McCarty, who graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour and won the first Black Desert Championship in Utah last week, did not birdie any of the three par 5s and shot a 71.
Matti Schmid had a strong final round in Utah, scoring 62 and finishing fifth. This moved him up from No. 120 to No. 105 in the FedEx Cup Fall. A key goal during this part of the PGA Tour is for players to finish in the top 125 to secure a full card for 2025.
Pendrith understands this pressure. He was at No. 123 in the FedEx Cup last year when he arrived in Las Vegas and tied for third, which helped him secure his card for the next season.
He went on to win his first PGA Tour title at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Dallas and made it to the Tour Championship.
“I know it’s an important time of year for a lot of guys and I’ve been there for sure,” Pendrith said. “It’s stressful. But it’s a different feeling for me, obviously already locked up for next year. It’s a different feeling I guess out there playing. But I really enjoy this place.”
Pendrith was also chosen for the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal, where he had a 2-3 record and went 2-1 in team play with Adam Scott. He had planned to take a short break, but that changed when Hurricane Milton affected Florida.
“I think I played maybe three times since the Presidents Cup, and then was planning on practicing and everything was closed,” Pendrith said. His coach joined him in Las Vegas for some focused work early in the week.
“I feel rested and excited to play,” Pendrith said. “I didn’t really expect a 10 under, I would say. I thought I would be a little bit more rusty than that. Obviously, thrilled, just got to keep getting back into the rhythm of things and the next few days.”
