BLAINE, Minn. — Ben Kohles took a two-shot lead after the first round of the 3M Open on Thursday, carding a 9-under 62 highlighted by an eagle on the final hole at TPC Twin Cities. The 36-year-old Kohles, who divides his time between the PGA and Korn Ferry tours, capped his round with a 4-foot putt on the par-5 18th hole, marking a career-best score in his professional golf career.
During a stretch beginning at the sixth hole, Kohles birdied every other hole, adding another birdie at 15 to reach 7 under and position himself atop the leaderboard. Reflecting on his performance, he said he felt in control throughout the round. Kohles came close to securing his first professional victory three weeks ago at the John Deere Classic, but a double bogey on the final hole dropped him to third place. “Of course you would like the outcome to be different, but you’ve just got to keep putting the pedal down and see where you go,” he commented.
Three players—Emiliano Grillo, Jackson Koivun, and Gary Woodland—are tied two shots behind Kohles with 64s. Koivun’s round was notable as well; in just his third professional event and 13th tour start, the 21-year-old posted the lowest score in his 43-round career. He birdied seven holes in total but closed the round with a bogey over the last three holes. Koivun turned pro in June after a standout collegiate career at Auburn University. “Any day beating Scottie Scheffler is a good day, so I’ll take that,” he said, acknowledging the significance of outscoring the world’s top-ranked player.
Scottie Scheffler, making his first appearance at the 3M Open after finishing fourth at last weekend’s British Open, shot 65 to trail Kohles by three strokes. Scheffler was 1 under through the first eight holes, then surged with five birdies in the next eight. He noted early struggles with fairways but praised his ability to avoid bogeys and maintain momentum. “Once I started to hit fairways and gave myself some looks, I was able to start making some birdies,” he said.
Defending champion Kurt Kitayama shot a 68 to remain in contention after the opening round. The TPC Twin Cities course has a history of low scoring; in seven prior editions of the 3M Open, winners have averaged 19 under par.
Meanwhile, at the Women’s Scottish Open in Dundonald, South Korea’s Jenny Shin and American Lauren Coughlin shared the first-round lead at 6-under 66. Shin birdied seven holes despite one bogey, emphasizing the importance of accurate tee shots in the windy conditions and noting how the firm course surface allowed her to reach par-5 greens in fewer shots. Coughlin, the 2024 Aramco Championship winner, also recorded eight birdies offset by two bogeys, crediting a strong game plan and reliable putting for navigating the challenging links course.