Joaquín Niemann returned the gifts: he had the worst round on day 1

The first day of the Tour Championship is the most important, for many reasons. The traditional ones, to take out the nerves or to know -in competition- the field. But others are added. Due to the particular game system, where golfers already start with shots under par, rewarding their performance during the year, an advantage that makes the championship rare only on day 1, and this Saturday everyone assumes their score, with the perhaps exception of some great round that is not among the pointers.

The opening round is also important because soon after the eyes would surely be on the boards. Knowing, having played several holes, if the court is being benevolent with the players or punishers is key. That means that it opens the possibility that those advantage shots with which many golfers started were saved. In the case of a court with close results, close to par, it would surely maintain the original locations and have little emotion.

The first happened. Obviously, the organization he put the court to be defeated and there would be mobility on the board. So it happened with almost everyone, not with Joaquín Niemann, who delivered a 72-stroke card, two over par from the field. The Chilean scored two birdies and four bogeys and this is his card:

For Joaco, the day was bad at East Lake, the 7,346-yard par 70 course in Atlanta that has hosted this championship years ago. The Chilean arrived at the tournament as 18th in the ranking and with two under par, but he finished the day in the 26th box, with par at accumulated handicap and Punctuation real. He failed to advance, but fell back.

The Spanish Jon Rahm scored -5 and reached the local Dustin Johnson (-3) in the lead they now share, with -13.

The contest will continue this Saturday and will run until Monday. This Saturday, Niemann will play the second round from 11.55.