Birdie streak keeps Laird in touch with leader Lipsky

Five straight birdies helped Scotland's Martin Laird into a share of second spot as American David Lipsky took the first round lead in the Procore Championship.

Laird started with a bogey at the Silverado North Course in Napa, but reeled off his five successive birdies from his third hole, adding another at the ninth to reach the turn at five-under-par.

He added one more birdie on the fifth – his 14th hole – to card an opening 66, one behind world number 277 Lipsky in the first of eight FedEx Cup autumn events.

Patton Kizzire carded four birdies in five holes to briefly move alongside Lipsky, but a bogey at 17 dropped him back alongside Laird at six-under-par.

They are one clear of a group including Mark Hubbard who mixed nine birdies either side of a triple bogey and a bogey in his opening 67.

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