Roller-coaster start for Hoey

Rico Hoey battled through a roller-coaster opening round at the Valspar Championship, carding an even-par 71 at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club to sit tied for 47th, seven shots off the lead.

He opened with a birdie but immediately gave it back with a bogey, then absorbed a double bogey on No. 6 before responding with a birdie on No. 9 to make the turn at 1-over.

Hoey continued to grind on the back nine — picking up a shot on the 11th and trading two birdies with two bogeys the rest of the way — to stay within striking distance heading into the next round.

Setting the early pace is Sungjae Im, who surged to a 7-under 64 for a one-shot lead. Coming off two missed cuts after a wrist injury, Im looked sharp, converting six birdies and holing clutch eagle putts — an 18-footer on the par-5 11th and a 35-footer on the par-5 1st after the turn. Only two late bogeys over his final four holes kept him from an even lower score.

Just one shot back is veteran Brandt Snedeker, who turned back the clock with a bogey-free 65 — his first at Innisbrook in 14 years. The 45-year-old, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, credited a recent switch to a mallet putter for his resurgence, draining nearly 150 feet of putts, including a 45-foot birdie on No. 12 and multiple clutch par saves.

Davis Thompson posted a 66, while Billy Horschel is among those at 67 as he looks to climb back inside the top 50 in the world rankings to secure a Masters berth. A large group at 68 includes Xander Schauffele and Riviera winner Jacob Bridgeman, both carding rare bogey-free rounds on the demanding Copperhead Course.

At 69, Corey Conners delivered one of the day’s most remarkable moments with back-to-back eagles — holing out from the fairway on the 18th and again from 40 yards on No. 1. Jordan Spieth also posted a 69 but was left ruing missed opportunities after reaching 5-under early, only to drop shots late — including a double bogey in the treacherous “Snake Pit.”

Defending champion Viktor Hovland recovered from a shaky start to salvage a 70, while Brooks Koepka marked his return to Innisbrook with a 71.