Jimmy Stanger, Nick Hardy share first-round lead at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jimmy Stanger and Nick Hardy posted matching rounds of 6-under 65 on Thursday to claim a share of the first-round lead at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. Lee Hodges and Cameron Young sit one stroke off the pace in a tie for third at 5-under 66.

Beginning the day on the back nine, Stanger got off to a fast start with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12. After pars on his next seven holes, the 25-year-old dropped his only shot of the day at the par-4 second.

Despite the setback, Stanger tallied his third birdie of the day on the par-4 third followed by an eagle on the par-5 fourth. The University of Virginia product finished his opening round with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to claim a share of the lead at 6-under.

“It was just one of those rounds where I stayed in there mentally,” Stanger said. “I didn't hit the ball particularly great, didn't putt the ball particularly great, but the wedges came on strong at the end and I was able to manage a 6‑under par round, which was fantastic.”

Stanger, who is playing in his third season on the Korn Ferry Tour, entered the week ranked 47th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list and earned his best finish of the season with a T6 result at last week’s Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco.

“It's just more so that confidence, the idea that I'm ready to be here,” he said of his strong finish last week. “It's just a matter of gaining confidence in that area and going out there and staying in the present and trying not to think too much.”

Tied atop the leaderboard is Hardy who tallied nine birdies during Thursday’s first round. After opening his round with pars on Nos. 1 and 2, Hardy carded four consecutive birdies on Nos. 3-6. Despite a double bogey on the par-4 seventh, he rebounded with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn at 4-under.

Hardy dropped a shot on the par-4 11th to fall back to 3-under but converted birdies on three of his final four holes to gain a share of the lead.

“There's obviously more at stake this week but I kind of treat it like every other week,” Hardy said. “I'm trying to position myself well for the weekend and Sunday, so I got off to a good start. Hopefully, I keep that going.”

Hardy is making his professional debut at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship but is no stranger to the Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course. As a standout at the University of Illinois, Hardy played several rounds in Columbus during his collegiate career. In 2018, he finished T2 at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate contested at the Scarlet Course. Later that spring, he finished T4 at the NCAA Columbus Regional, also played at the Scarlet Course.

“We played well here as a team,” Hardy recalled. “I had a couple really high finishes here. It suits my game pretty well and it feels like a Chicago golf course to me, tree lined and long. You can't really fake it out here, you’ve got to drive it well and you've got to hit strong sides, you cannot short‑side yourself out here at all.”

Lee Hodges and Cameron Young sit in a tie for third at 5-under 66. Two weeks ago, Hodges captured his first Korn Ferry Tour title at the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz. With the victory, he secured a spot in the 2020 U.S. Open and is now in great position to secure entry in PGA TOUR additional events during the 2020-21 season.

Young is making his fourth Korn Ferry Tour start of the season this week. Three weeks ago, he Monday qualified into the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna before finishing T14. Last week, he finished T6 in Boise, good for his best result on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Second-round tee times will run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:36 p.m. EDT on Friday. The tournament will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from 1-3 p.m. on Friday.