3M Open 2024 scores, takeaways: Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau in the race after Round 1 at TPC Twin Cities

The 2024 3M Open leaderboard has a few surprises and some regulars after the first 18 holes. PGA Tour rookie Jacob Bridgeman tops the list after a birdie-birdie first-round finish was enough to get him into the clubhouse with an 8-under 63, one stroke ahead of Mackenzie Hughes.

Currently ranked outside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings, Bridgeman will look to build on his career-low PGA Tour finish over the next three days at TPC Twin Cities and earn his first top-10 finish of the season and perhaps the first win of his young career. But to do so, he will have to fend off some PGA Tour mainstays, including Sahith Theegala, who is five under par, and Tony Finau, who is just one shot behind.

“I think back, I don’t mind saying I didn’t think the golf course really suited my game until this year,” Theegala said. “I’ve really struggled with the tee shot most of my life and the last couple of years, so the tee shot is so important here. I’m really excited to be back because that’s been the biggest improvement in my game.

“I’ve been driving really well all year and I’m just excited to play the short grass here because I’ve had a lot of lakes and rough the last few years,” he continued. “It’s like a revenge week for me. I just want to come back and see what I can do on a golf course that has beaten me pretty badly the last three years.”

Unlike Bridgeman, Theegala enters this week in the prime of a season-long race. Top-10 and a near-certainty for a place in the Tour Championship, the right-hander is looking for revenge on this par-71 layout, which has produced three missed cuts in three attempts.

Theegala’s opening round 66 was a big step toward seeing the weekend for the first time, and a big step toward Theegala’s first win of the season. Posting career-best numbers in multiple areas, Theegala — once known for his inconsistency — has become one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour.

“It’s funny, I didn’t even feel like — this is probably the only week where I really felt like I wasn’t even worried about the score, I just wanted to beat the golf course,” Theegala said. “I didn’t even look at the other guys or the board, didn’t care what they were hitting, I just wanted to feel like I had this golf course figured out. This is a tough golf course.

“It’s a good start today, but it’s playing soft and approachable and I think a bunch of guys are going to shoot some good rounds,” he continued. “Hopefully, the wind will make it stronger. I know there’s going to be a lot of tight shots. I’m going to try to get through them all. It’s fun, it’s a different challenge. I know some guys are going to shy away, but I’m not afraid to try. If I don’t, then so be it, but I really don’t want to let the field beat me again.”

Leaders

1. Jacob Bridgeman (-8)
2. Mackenzie Hughes (-7)

It was a vintage Hughes performance on Thursday as he took six shots from the green, with more than five of them coming from his putter. The Canadian made seven putts outside 10 feet, including a 59-footer on the par-3 13th.

While his compatriots Nick Taylor and Corey Conners are out for next week’s Olympics, Hughes is part of a large group of Canadians including Adam Hadwin, Taylor Pendrith and Adam Svensson who are trying to make the most of the late summer to earn a spot on the International Presidents Cup team. Thursday’s bogey-free 64 was a good start.

“It was a great day,” Hughes said. “I felt like I was maybe a little off my swing and I played a little bit of up and down to keep my round going early. I found a rhythm to my swing after seven, eight holes and started swinging a little better, and the putter cooperated well today. It was a fun day on the greens.”

Other candidates

T3. Coach Martin, Patrick Rodgers, Andrew Novak (-6)
T6. Sahith Theegala, Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, Stewart Cink, Taylor Pendrith, Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Hayden Springer (-5)

Rodgers got the ball rolling early and may have been thinking about a 60 at some point. At 5 under, he added birdies on Nos. 1 and 3 (his 10th and 12th) to reach 7 under with six holes to go. He got to 8 under with a birdie a few holes later, but dropping two of his last three holes will leave him two under going into Friday. Regardless, it’s a great start for a player who enters the week 51st in the FedEx Cup standings.

“The top 50 numbers are huge now with the new structure of the Tour,” Rodgers said. “There’s a big difference between being in the top 50 and playing in the feature events and not having those opportunities. There’s a lot to play for. I’m just trying to play my best golf. I feel like I’m playing well at the right time, which is exciting.”

“I probably feel fresher at this time of year than I have in previous years with the shortened schedule,” he continued. “I feel like my season is a little bit more fluid, which is great. Yeah, I’m excited, I feel like I have a great time coming up and that’s exactly what you want, to have everything to play for when the season ends.”

Game within game

Because it’s an Olympic year, the PGA Tour only has two regular events after The Open, making this tournament even more intriguing than usual. Not only is Rodgers on the brink, but there are plenty of big names at the crucial cutoff, including Hughes, who enters this week ranked 50th in the FedEx Cup standings.

A strong result would make his post-season run a lot less stressful and all but guarantee his place in the field for the 2025 special events. Meanwhile, Sam Burns is currently the last man standing on the Tour Championship and needs a quality ride not only to advance to East Lake but also to impress Captain Jim Furyk for the US Presidents Cup team.

3M Open 2024 Updated Odds and Picks

• Tony Finau: 8-1
• Sahith Theegala: 8-1
• Mackenzie Hughes: 9-1
• Kurt Kitayama: 14-1
• Patrick Rodgers: 14-1
• Andrew Novak: 16-1
• Jacob Bridgeman: 16-1
• Taylor Pendrith: 18-1

Finau was my pick to start the week and a closing birdie to move him to 4 under would put him within touching distance of the lead in the second round. The 2022 champion was solid on Thursday, looking like one of the best iron players in the game when it comes to winning by more than three shots on approach. His putter isn’t great, but he’s putted well on these greens in the past and has improved a lot over the past few months.