2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic leaderboard: Tony Finau picks up where he left off to share lead after Round 1

After winning last week's 3M Open, Tony Finau is at it again at the Rocket Mortgage Classic

With thunderstorms in the Detroit area earlier in the week, players were presented with ideal scoring conditions in the morning hours of the first round of the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic. The man who finished fast to win last week's 3M Open began in the same fashion Thursday as Tony Finau signed for a bogey-free 8-under 64 to command a share of the lead with Canadian Taylor Pendrith. Taylor Pendrith 97 34 Webb Simpson 117 90 Matt Wallace 140 115 Cameron Champ 141 116 Kiradech Aphibarnrat 202 178 Michael Thompson 107 83 Lee Hodges 96 76 Charley Hoffman 172 154 Stephan Jaeger 125 112 Zach Johnson 147 136

Finau put together a ball-striking clinic at Detroit Golf Club as he gained over four strokes on approach and nearly another two off the tee. In fact, the 32-year-old was so in sync with his driver and irons in hand that he ranked outside the top 45 in both short-game metrics. 

If Finau's putter heats up -- as it did Sunday at the 3M Open -- the rest of the field may be in trouble as he searches for his second victory in as many weeks. Along with Pendrith, Webb Simpson and Michael Thompson combined strong approach play with timely putting to sit two strokes off the lead at 6 under. Both of these PGA Tour veterans sat outside the top 100 of the FedEx Cup standings entering the week and have already made headway on their positioning thanks to their first-round efforts and will be a storyline to follow over the next 54 holes.