Varner Takes Early 1-Shot Lead Over Spieth, DeChambeau

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Harold Varner III took his place in history in the PGA Tour’s technology era, all because of a triple bogey. Jordan Spieth had his lowest 36-hole score in four years. Rory McIlroy shot 63 with a bogey on his last hole. The strongest field of the year in golf’s return to competition produced an All-Star leaderboard at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Varner had plenty of juices flowing after his first tee shot on No. 10 went onto a bridge, led to a one-shot penalty, and eventually a triple bogey that quickly knocked him out of a share of the lead. No worries. He answered with eight birdies and a place in the record book with a 66. It was the lowest score on the PGA Tour by a player who began his round with a triple bogey. He was at 11-under 129, the lowest 36-hole score of his career. He heads into the third round with a one-shot lead over Spieth and Bryson DeChambeau. The PGA Tour has returned after three months because of the pandemic. And if the opening round felt like the first day of school, Friday was a small step toward normalcy, even without fans.