Justin Thomas was inches away from setting a new Harbour Town Golf Links course record but still bagged a three-shot lead after day one of the RBC Heritage, with defending champion Scottie Scheffler in a tie for second.

Thomas rolled in 11 birdies and tied the single-round course record with his 10-under-par 61, narrowly missing a six-foot putt for birdie at 18 that would have set a new low mark.

“I just played really solid,” Thomas said. “I feel like I didn’t do anything crazy. I just drove the ball well, which is very, very important out here, and I felt like it was just one of those days I put the ball in a spot that I had a lot of good numbers.

“Although you have to be a little conservative at times out here, I felt like they were kind of pins and angles and everything that I could be a little aggressive and I just kind of got rolling with it.”

Thomas takes a three-shot lead over world No 1 Scheffler, and Russell Henley, into day two of the $20m PGA Tour signature event. Henley won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month.

Former US Open champion Wyndham Clark is one stroke further back on six under, while fellow former major winners Matt Fitzpatrick – winner of the RBC Heritage in 2023 – and Brian Harman are in a grouping on five under.

Justin Rose, fresh from the disappointment of being edged out to the Masters title by Rory McIlroy in a play-off, is four under after day one, as is fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, still in pursuit of a maiden PGA Tour win.

Thomas hit the turn with a share of the lead at six under, before opening the back with the solitary bogey on his scorecard. But, after that misstep at the 10th, he closed with five further birdies in seven holes.

Thomas made the turn with a share of the lead at 6-under (30), comprised of six birdies and three pars, but opened the back with bogey on No. 10 before settling back in by taking birdie on five of seven holes.

It was Thomas’ 14th career round of 62 or better, the most on the PGA Tour in the past 40 years. Kevin Na’s 11 is next best, with Tiger Woods and Zach Johnson among a group with nine rounds of 62 or below.

Thomas tied the course record at TPC Sawgrass with a 62 in during The Players Championship in March that he secured with 11 birdies one day after he shot 78.

Watch day two of the RBC Heritage, with early coverage starting from 12.15pm on Friday, live on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 7pm. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

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