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ORLANDO, Fla. – There are a lot of fancy stats you could throw out that would explain how impressive Daniel Berger’s first round 63 was. I’d like to start with a simple one. Here’s the lengths of his nine (!) converted birdie putts: 4’3”, 8’2”, 5’9”, 4’2”, 2’2”, 6’10”, 11’3”, 2’3”, 6’2”. That’ll do, Berger. That’ll do.

It was a ball-striking round akin to the peak version of Berger we saw before he seriously injured his lower back a handful of years ago. Berger called it a top-three round he’s played on the PGA TOUR, comparing it to a 4-under 66 he shot in the third round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills that vaulted him into a tie for the lead.

Importantly, this looked like peak-Berger. The one who flights shots all around the course, gets up-and-down from everywhere and has the mindset to thrive during the toughest tests. Injuries have kept us from seeing it frequently. Even last year was cut short when he broke his right ring finger at the BMW Championship. He detailed his recovery during an interview with me last November, but he wasn’t certain then how long the effects would linger. Berger said Thursday that he thought he nearly broke it again during the WM Phoenix Open, but it was just soreness. Some days it feels great, others not so much. Thursday was a good day.

Here are a few other stats. Berger led in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and was second in SG: Putting. In other words, he was basically the best from everywhere on the golf course. He was also just one stroke off the course record of 62. It’s the best opening round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard since Adam Scott shot 62 in 2014. Scott called Berger’s round “hard to see,” given the course and the conditions.

One other note to keep in the back pocket the rest of the week: Berger is six months into a coaching change with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon. Berger struggled on the Poa annua on the West Coast, but now returns to comfy surfaces in his native Florida. Kenyon is the one who worked magic with Scottie Scheffler. If Kenyon gets Berger’s putter rolling consistently, that peak version might not be far off.

Playing through

• 🏌 Scottie Scheffler made a notable equipment change this week, playing the new TaylorMade Qi4D driver. Oh, and he’s finally under par after 18 holes. More from my colleague Alistair Cameron ...
• 📹 Want more from Round 1 at Bay Hill? Here are the highlights.

• 🇵🇷 Reminder: The Puerto Rico Open is underway as well, and we have Gordon Sargent sighting near the top of the leaderboard. Check it out …

Thomas rusty in return

As far as venues go, Justin Thomas picked about the most difficult to make his return. Bay Hill is often lauded as a “mini U.S. Open” style setup – those comparisons have already been made by players this week – and even during its easiest days, it can be ruthless when you’re off your game.

In that context, it’s no surprise Thomas’ first competitive round since the Ryder Cup was rocky. He himself said he was rusty during his pre-tournament press conference. That showed as Thomas shot 7-over 79 and lost nearly four strokes on the green.

“I could not keep my concentration for the life of me on the back nine,” Thomas said. “I just had a couple times I had to back off because I just would kind of walk into the shot and have no idea what I was even trying to do.”

Xander Schauffele experienced a similar rude awakening when returning from injury here a year ago. He shot 77 in his first round back. “It's a tough place to come back to, not going to lie,” Schauffele said then. “Palm Springs would have been nice, something like that.”

This will not be the week for any definitive statements about Thomas, who was sidelined for four months after undergoing a microdiscectomy. Those will come in the weeks and months ahead. He’s due some grace in his return and time to work off the rust.

Parting shots

• Akshay Bhatia put together an incredibly weird opening round. He was DEAD LAST in the field in SG: Off-the-Tee, but FIRST in putting. That all added up to a 2-under 70.
• As far as colorful scorecards go, it doesn’t get much wilder than Nico Echavarria. A winner a week ago, he looked primed for another week of contention. He shot 6-under on the front nine and 6-over on the back.
• Billy Horschel revealed new details about the hip injury that sidelined him for most of 2025. Horschel said he had two microfractures along with the previously reported torn labrum. The healing timeline for the microfractures is “a year or two,” he said, though he’s not risking further injury by playing. He’s just managing stiffness and pain. “The hip isn't an excuse,” for poor play, Horschel said. He shot 3-under 69 on Thursday.
• Jake Knapp withdrew less than 30 minutes before his first-round tee time. Knapp cited an injury, but did not reveal any specifics. Haotong Li took Knapp’s spot in the field.