Bermuda Round 2: Blanchet leads after opening 62 with two eagles

Blanchet takes charge at Port Royal

Chandler Blanchet produced the round of his life on Thursday, carding an opening 9-under-par 62 to take the outright lead at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Taking advantage of unusually benign wind conditions across the par-71 Port Royal Golf Course, Blanchet eagled both par-5 holes, highlighted by an exhilarating 50-foot putt on the 17th. His career-best round gives him a one-stroke cushion as Friday’s second round gets underway in Southampton.

The 31-year-old American leads a tightly bunched field competing for a $6 million purse and 500 FedExCup Fall points. Port Royal’s Robert Trent Jones layout, which measures 6,828 yards along turquoise ocean cliffs, is notorious for unpredictable winds that can reshape the leaderboard in a single afternoon.

Chasing pack tightly packed

Canadian Corey Conners, the highest-ranked competitor in the field at world No. 61, opened his week with a bogey-free 7-under 63 to share second place alongside Ben Kohles, Danny Walker and Ben Silverman. Defending champion Adam Schenk opened with a solid 3-under 68 to stay within striking distance of the cut line. With ocean breezes expected to pick up during Friday afternoon’s wave, the cut to the top 65 and ties will test patience and precision on Bermuda greens.