In May, lefty Phil Mickelson became the oldest to win a major when he stunned the golf world in capturing the Wanamaker Trophy in the PGA Championship.
In June, southpaw Garrick Higgo won his fourth professional event in nine months and first PGA Tour title when he was victorious at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree.
Now, in July, another left-hander is in position to get a W.
Hank Lebioda, a former Florida State star who won his lone professional title on the PGA Tour Canada circuit in 2017, fired a 7-under 64 in Thursday’s first round of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.
Lebioda’s lone blemish came on the final hole when a poor drive led to a bogey. But in his last three starts, he’s made few mistakes in search of his first PGA Tour title. Lebioda came into the John Deere off a tie for fifth in the Travelers Championship and a tie for fourth in last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic.
He has now posted scores in the 60s in nine of his last 10 rounds.
“It stinks that’s how you finish, but at the same time I think some of the putts I made throughout the round today make up for it for sure,” he said. “I’m just going to carry that momentum. I think I had eight birdies. Haven’t looked at the stats, but I’ve got to imagine – I hit my irons pretty well, putted pretty well, chipped it well when I needed to. Just keep on rolling with that.”
Speaking of rolling, Lebioda rolled in birdie putts of 27, 18, 8, 38, 6, 10 and 13 feet and his last birdie came from 20 inches. He is within one shot of leaders Sebastian Munoz, who birdied his last five holes for a 63, and Chesson Hadley, who birdied two of his last three. Joining Lebioda at 64 were Chez Reavie and Camillo Villegas, each who were bogey free.
In all, 28 players shot 67 or better in this annual birdie fest.
JOHN DEERE CLASSIC: Leaderboard | Photos
Lebioda pointed to consistency for his strong form of late.
“Continuing to do what I know is going to help make me a better putter, better ball striker, better mentally, a little tougher, and I think the continuation of doing those things over and over again has been able to kind of develop this nice confidence I have right now,” he said. “I don’t think I found a low score today, I went and did it. I executed, and I played the way that I’m capable of playing.”
And he’s playing a lot better than he did when he made his John Deere debut in 2019 and missed the cut with two rounds of 71.
“When I came here in 2019 I wasn’t the same man that I am now. I think that’s just the easiest way to describe it,” he said. “That, and I am confident in my game, and I am hitting some really good shots, I’m making a lot of putts.
“I wish I would have had more success here in 2019, but at the same time, that was two years ago. Why even consider it, why worry about it? Just try to go out and make each day the best that I can.”