Guthrie’s sizzling start to first round fades with limited birdie opportunities on back nine

DETROIT — The end of Luke Guthrie’s opening round at the Rocket Mortgage Classic didn’t mirror his stellar start.

That leaves the Quincy native with some work to do Friday in order to play the weekend in his second PGA Tour event of the season.

Guthrie opened his round with three birdies in the first four holes at Detroit Golf Club and made the turn after shooting a 3-under 33. However, he had just two birdie chances inside 16 feet on the back nine, shooting a 2-over 38 coming in.

It left the 32-year-old golfer sitting at 1-under 71 and tied for 79th. He’ll begin the second round one stroke off the projected cutline, which currently is 2-under but is expected to be lower. Tony Finau and Taylor Pendrith lead the field after shooting 8-under 64s.

Guthrie was part of a mid-morning threesome and got off on the right foot, rolling in a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole. After missing a 30-foot birdie attempt on the second hole, Guthrie snaked in a 21-foot birdie putt on the par-4 third hole.

On the par-5 fourth hole, he stuck his approach to 10 feet and sank the birdie putt.

He reached the green on four of the next five holes, but didn’t have a birdie attempt inside 25 feet. It was a theme that carried over to the back nine.

Guthrie missed the green in regulation on the first three holes on the back nine and didn’t have a birdie attempt inside 20 feet until the par-4 15th. His best birdie opportunity on the back nine came on the par-5 17th where he missed a 9-footer.

He hit just 7 of 14 fairways and made 11 of 18 greens in regulation. He had seven birdie putts of 23 feet or longer and didn’t make one. The top seven players on the leaderboard, who each shot 6-under or better, hit 72 percent or better of the greens in regulation.

Guthrie is scheduled to tee off in the second round at 1 p.m. Friday. Golf Channel will have coverage of the Rocket Mortgage Classic from 2-5 p.m.