Morikawa, Homa and Lowry not only pose as Griffin's closet competitors heading into Friday but as three of only 13 players to break par Thursday. One of those men joining them late thanks to a flurry of back-nine birdies was the world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who began his title defense with a ho-hum 70.

Ben Griffin resumed the great play that brought him his first individual PGA Tour victory last week, hitting two shots in the water and still posting a 7-under 65 on Thursday in the Memorial on a course with rough as dense as a U.

In-form Ben Griffin shot a seven-under 65 to take the first-round lead at Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Griffin won his first PGA Tour title last week and