Lexi Thompson played the first two editions of Grant Thornton alongside Rickie Fowler, but this year brought a change. Enter Wyndham Clark, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, and the results were instant fireworks. The chemistry of this duo lit up Tiburón Golf Club on the very first day with a 17-under 55 in the opening scramble format. That number smashed the previous tournament record of 56 set by Tony Finau and Nelly Korda back in 2023.

But the biggest win wasn’t the score; it was Clark’s mindset. When asked if he enjoyed the day, Clark didn’t hold back. “Yeah. I mean, for me, I haven’t felt really stressed once today, which is rare for me in a golf tournament. Yeah, it’s really fun,” Clark confessed. “ I know tomorrow will be a little bit more stressful as an alternate shot, but with that being said, it’s been a lot of fun. It’s a great way to finish the year. To play with Lexi has been a treat thus far.”

Thompson and Clark’s scorecard looked more like a video game than a real one. They carded only three pars all day long and started fast with an 8-under front nine to set the pace. Then, they eagled the 10th hole and went on a tear. Clark drained a clutch birdie on 18 to tie Charley Hull and Michael Brennan at the top.

“I feel like we ham-and-egged it pretty well out there. He played some amazing golf and holed out a bunker shot and stuck it close on a few holes. We really just fed off each other,” Thompson said.

This relaxed mode is a massive shift for Clark, whose 2025 season has been a bit of a nightmare. Clark went winless this year after a breakout 2023 campaign where he won the U.S. Open. In 24 starts, he managed only two top-10 finishes, including a T5 finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and a T4 finish at the Open Championship. He was so frustrated that he damaged locker room property following a missed cut at the Oakmont Country Club. But a late-season T8 finish at the Hero World Challenge last week gave Clarke some momentum coming into Naples.

Thompson, on the other hand, is on her “farewell tour” after announcing a semi-retirement in 2024, where she only made 13 starts this year. But Thompson’s season wasn’t that bad, considering her nine cuts and two top-10 finishes despite a winless season.

But even with their video game numbers, the Clark-Thompson duo didn’t run away with the lead alone.

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Another partnership matched their historic pace

English superstar Charley Hull and PGA Tour rookie Michael Brennan matched Thompson and Clark’s record-breaking 55 perfectly. This partnership almost didn’t happen, as Brennan was a late addition to the field, replacing Daniel Berger just days before the event started. But despite having zero time to practice, they found instant chemistry on the fairways with the “Gym Bros” nickname.  And they carded a streak of 13 consecutive birdies or eagles after a slow start, leaving everyone completely stunned.

Brennan, who rolled in an Eagle on the 14th hole, described Hull as “intense” in a funny video of players learning things about each other before the event began. “Really, you think I’m intense? I’m the most laid-back person in the world. I’m the most laid-back person in the world. I can’t give a f—k about anything.” Hull laughed. And after the first round, when Brennan was once again asked if he still thought she was intense in the post-round interview, Brennan replied,  “Yeah, I mean, I don’t it’s a bad thing. … Like, you’re focused, which is good. … You seem like you care.”

And while the leaders grabbed the headlines, some dangerous names are lurking just two shots back behind both first-time duos. Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak sit alone in third place after shooting a 15-under 57. Behind them, the duo of Rose Zhang and Michael Kim is tied at 14-under with the Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup duo. Even World No. 2 Nelly Korda is also in the hunt alongside Denny McCarthy.