Cognizant Classic Opening Round Highlights
In a quirky opening round at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, players experienced a series of unusual incidents on Thursday.
Ryan Gerard’s Unusual Encounter
Among the notable moments was Ryan Gerard, whose tee shot on the 207-yard par-3 seventh hole appeared to strike a bird. As the ball soared towards the hole, a replay captured feathers fluttering through the air, indicating a near miss after the bird inadvertently crossed the ball’s trajectory right after Gerard’s swing. Fortunately, it remains uncertain if the bird was harmed.
Gerard, ranked 26th in the world, managed to land his ball around 35 feet from the hole, later securing a two-putt par.
David Ford’s Colorful Challenges
Meanwhile, David Ford encountered a colorful series of challenges throughout his round. Starting on the back nine, he found himself sitting at 1 over par when he reached the par-3 17th hole. After an errant tee shot veered toward the water, he ended up stuck in the mud and attempted to chip out of it towards the green. His efforts proved fruitless as his ball rolled right back to the mud pit on two tries.
Frustrated, he opted to return to the drop zone, ultimately finishing the hole with a quadruple-bogey 7.
“One bad hole won’t define the rest of my play if I can finish strong and demonstrate my capabilities.”
His positivity paid off as he rebounded impressively, scoring back-to-back eagles on the second and third holes, part of a remarkable turnaround that featured three consecutive holes where he holed out from off the green. From 144 yards on No. 2 and chipping in from approximately 30 yards on No. 3, Ford also managed a memorable bunker shot on No. 4 to save par, finishing with a 1-over 72.
Conclusion
In contrast, Gerard completed the day with a score of 2-over 73 after an eventful round. The blend of bird encounters, mud mishaps, and impressive recoveries created a day full of unexpected moments on the course.
