Ben Martin had six birdies over a seven-hole stretch Thursday in the opening round of the 2022 Corales Puntacana Championship as he looks to end a PGA Tour winless streak of more than seven years.
The 2014 Shriners Children’s Open champ is making his fourth start on Tour this season. He needed just 26 putts and posted a 30 on his back nine en route to a 6-under 66 on the Corales Golf Course in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, to take a one-shot lead over Adam Schenk, who shot a 5-under 67.
Schenk is making his 400th start on the PGA Tour. He’s one of five golfers to make the cut all four times the tournament has been played.
Vaughn Taylor, Hayden Buckley, Graeme McDowell and Kiradech Aphibarnrat are all tied for third at 4 under.
Defending champion Joel Dahmen, who made the Corales Puntacana Championship his maiden Tour win a year ago, is tied for 32nd after shooting a 71.