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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Justin Thomas opened his CIMB Classic title defense with an 8-under 64 on Thursday for a share of the lead with fellow Americans Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer.
Thomas won his first PGA Tour title last year at TPC Kuala Lumpur, finishing with a tournament-record 26-under 262 total. He had nine birdies and a bogey Thursday.
Bradley eagled the par-5 10th and had eight birdies and two bogeys. Fathauer had eight birdies in a bogey-free round.
England's Paul Casey was a stroke back.
Asian Tour leader Anirban Lahiri of India shot 66. Brendan Steele, the winner last week at Silverado in California, was at 67 along with Sergio Garcia, Brian Harman and Aaron Baddeley.
Ryan Moore, the 2013 and 2014 winner, had a 71.
BLUE BAY LPGA
HAINAN, China (AP) — Minjee Lee birdied the final three holes for a 7-under 65 and a two-stroke lead in the Blue Bay LPGA, playing in perfect conditions two days after Typhoon Sarika hit the resort.
Lee hit a long flop shot to a foot from a difficult angle on the par-5 18th on Jian Lake's Blue Bay course, back in top shape after a large cleanup effort. The 20-year-old Australian was delayed traveling from the event that ended Sunday in South Korea and finally got to the resort Wednesday.
American Jessica Korda and Germany's Sandra Gal shot 67 on the long course with large rolling, tiered greens with small effective landing areas. Gal holed out from 89 yards for eagle on the par-4 second.
Spain's Carlota Ciganda, coming off a playoff victory last week in Incheon for her first LPGA Tour title, was three strokes back at 68 along with South Korea's Chella Choi.
Canada's Brooke Henderson birdied four of the last five to join Germany's Caroline Masson and American Austin Ernst at 69. The 19-year-old Henderson is playing for the fourth straight week in Asia and plans to make it six in a row with stops in Malaysia and Japan.
PORTUGAL MASTERS
VILAMOURA, Portugal (AP) — Scotland's Marc Warren birdied the first six holes and finished with an 8-under 63 to take the first-round lead in the Portugal Masters.
American David Lipsky was a stroke back at Oceanico Victoria along with Finland's Mikko Korhonen and Englishmen Eddie Pepperell, Callum Shinkwin and Matthew Baldwin.
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