Biltmore Championship Asheville

David Ford has played his way out of the lower reaches with birdies at the 16th and 17th, reaching 1-under par through 17 holes. The closing stretch moved him from tied 90th to tied 70th, with one hole left to improve his opening-round position.

Paul Peterson found a late spark, adding birdies at the 15th and 17th to reach 4-under par. That final-hole push has lifted him from tied 31st to tied 17th, putting him alongside a crowded group just three shots behind the leaders.

Through his 17th hole today, Marco Penge reached 3-under par with a birdie on the eighth course hole. The move vaulted him 21 spots up the board into a tie for 31st.

Pontus Nyholm moved to 4-under par for the tournament, gaining 13 spots to tie for 15th place. His birdie on the 17th hole keeps him within three shots of the co-leaders.

Gordon Sargent climbed into a tie for 15th at 4-under par, moving up 13 spots on the leaderboard with a late birdie on the 17th hole. He now sits three shots off the lead.

Davis Chatfield birdied the 17th to get to 3-under par, lifting him from a tie for 51st into a tie for 28th. It is a late move up a crowded Round 1 board, though he remains four shots behind co-leaders Max Greyserman and Eric Cole at 7-under par.

Austin Smotherman matched the late push with a birdie at the 8th course hole, moving to 5-under par and a tie for eighth. Through his 17th hole today after beginning on the back nine, he sits two shots behind the shared lead.

Harry Higgs added a birdie at the 8th course hole to reach 5-under par, climbing into a tie for eighth. Through his 17th hole today after starting on the back nine, Higgs is two shots behind co-leaders Max Greyserman and Eric Cole.