LAS VEGAS — All eyes were on Lexi Thompson during the opening round of the Shriners Children’s Open as the LPGA star made her first appearance on the PGA Tour courtesy of a sponsor exemption.
But while substantial galleries tagged along with Thompson at TPC Summerlin, Cam Davis had an interesting follower on one of his drives.
After the Aussie hit a drive on the par-5 16th hole, a coyote came rushing onto the fairway, first running toward the tee box, but then turned 180 degrees and went back down the fairway, as if it was following the ball. The coyote eventually peeled off.
Coyote on the course?!
pic.twitter.com/uRHeCnnX5p
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 12, 2023
Whether he was shaken by the animal sighting or not, Davis knocked his next shot in the water en route to his first bogey of the day.
But Davis made few mistakes after that, rolling his way to a 67 to sit four shots behind leader J.T. Poston after the day’s early wave.
Davis, who has four top-10 finishes in his last five starts, is in the field even though he doesn’t need to play to maintain eligibility in the Tour’s Signature events, he’s happy to be in Vegas and will also play next week at the Zozo Championship in Japan.
“I’ve played well here in the past. I don’t mind this event at all. I’ve actually quite enjoyed it,” Davis said. “Playing next week was always the plan, as well, and there’s travel organized from here to next week, as well, so just makes everything very easy and smooth for us.
“Really, after next week, there’s not going to be much golf for the rest of the year until end of November and December. I like playing, and I’m not going to miss too many events in a row, even if I don’t have to play them, because I do like competing.”