Branden Grace, who took time off following the tragic death of his father from COVID-19, returned to competitive play on Thursday with a one-under-par 71 in the PGA Tour’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Playing at Spyglass Hill Golf Course – the tournament is played on Pebble Beach Golf Links too over the first two rounds ahead of the cut, at which point the remaining players finish the tournament at Pebble Beach – Grace made three birdies and two bogeys to trail the leader by nine strokes after players went low on Pebble Beach.

It left him in a share of 52nd ahead of the second round, but he will be confident of improving his position with the prospect of Pebble Beach ahead of him for his second round.

Patrick Cantlay of the United States leads after he made seven birdies in his opening nine on his way to a bogey-free 62. He leads by two from countryman Akshay Bhatia and Sweden’s Henrik Norlander, with Jordan Spieth and Mark Hubbard a further shot back. All played Pebble Beach in the opening round.

Rory Sabbatini carded an opening two-under 70 on Pebble Beach.