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Svensson red hot at Black Desert

Adam Svensson PGA Tour Adam Svensson - Getty Images
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Most days, golf is a hard game.

Getting the ball into the hole can seem like a near impossibility, filled with bad shots and bad breaks. If your driver works, your putter doesn’t. If your irons are precise, your wedges feel like sledgehammers.

Then there are those special days where everything goes right. They don’t come very often and so when all parts of the game are in synch, it’s a special feeling.

That’s the kind of day Adam Svensson had on Thursday in the opening round of the Black Desert Championship, a new PGA Tour event held in Ivins, Utah. The Surrey, B.C., product made nine birdies and an eagle for a scintillating round of 60.

“It was great,” said Svensson after finishing up his day. “Hit my irons extremely well. Had a lot of good looks. I didn't feel like I putted that great, but they just kind of snuck in. It was just one of those days.”

He started his day on the back and made six birdies, including four consecutively to close out his first nine with a score of 29. He added three birdies and an eagle on his second nine to record the lowest score of his PGA Tour career.

While he was on a remarkable roll, the thought of recording the sub-60 round on the par-71 course never entered his mind. That was until he signed his scorecard.

“To be honest, I thought it was a par-72, so I didn't even think about it really,” said Svensson. “Until I signed my scorecard. No idea.”

The round gave him a two-shot lead over Henrik Norlander and Matt McCarty. He’ll need continue to post solid rounds if he hopes to record his second PGA Tour win. To do that, it will mean forgetting all about his magical day, he said.

“Just kind of feel like I didn't shoot 60 yesterday and just kind of keep plugging along,” said the 30-year-old. “The fairways are fairly easy to hit out here, so you just kind of have to put your approach shots near the hole and give yourself some looks.”

Three other Canadians fared well in the first round, with Roger Sloan posting a five-under 66, Mike Weir with a three-under 68 and Nick Taylor at two-under 69.