SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda – Chandler Blanchet turned the tricky Port Royal Golf Course into a personal highlight reel on Thursday, carding a blistering 9-under 62 to seize the first-round lead at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
In a season where every stroke carries immense weight, Blanchet’s performance could not have come at a more critical time. Currently ranked 114th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, the Florida native is fighting to climb into the top 100 to secure his full playing status for 2027. With only five tournaments remaining on the schedule, his opening round provided a significant boost to his postseason survival bid.
Blanchet’s day was highlighted by a pair of eagles that bookended a masterful display of ball-striking. On the par-5 17th, he drained a massive 50-foot putt that he described as “dripping in on the last revolution.” Later, taking advantage of a rare calm spell in the notoriously fickle Bermuda winds, he stuck a smooth 5-iron to within five feet on the seventh hole to set up his second eagle. His lone bogey of the day came on the par-4 fourth, but it did little to dampen the momentum of his best score of the year.
The leaderboard is tightly packed behind the leader. Ben Kohles, Corey Conners, Danny Walker, and Canada’s Ben Silverman all sit one shot back at 8-under 63. For Kohles, the solid start is a continuation of a productive fall stretch. Having recently secured his PGA Tour card, he is now playing with newfound freedom, shifting his focus toward breaking into the top 60 to qualify for next year’s lucrative $20 million signature events. Kohles provided the day’s most consistent fireworks, stringing together six consecutive birdies mid-round.
Port Royal, which often serves as a brutal test of endurance when the Atlantic gusts pick up, proved surprisingly hospitable on Thursday. With the wind shifting from gusty to calm alongside passing showers, the field took full advantage of the conditions. The average score for the day settled at 68.5, allowing a large group of players, including Mackenzie Hughes and Emiliano Grillo, to stay within striking distance at 64.
Corey Conners, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 61, praised the course conditions despite the early rain. “The wind blows pretty hard here and it was fairly mild today,” Conners noted after his bogey-free round. “The golf course is playing great; it’s in wonderful shape.”
As the tournament moves toward Friday’s second round, the pressure remains high for those on the bubble. While the conditions were favorable on Thursday, the Port Royal wind is notoriously unpredictable, and the field knows that the margin for error remains razor-thin as they battle for survival in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.
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