2024 3M Open scores, takeaways: Sahith Theegala, Tony Finau in the mix after Round 1 at TPC Twin Cities (2024)

The leaderboard at the 2024 3M Open features a handful of surprises and a handful of regulars after the first 18 holes of play. PGA Tour rookie Jacob Bridgeman tops the list after a birdie-birdie finish to his first round was enough for him to get in the clubhouse with a round of 8-under 63 for a one-stroke lead over Mackenzie Hughes.

Currently outside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings, Bridgeman looks to build off his career-low round on the PGA Tour over the next three days at TPC Twin Cities and capture his first top-10 finish of the season and perhaps the first victory of his young career. In order to do so, however, he will need to fend off a number of PGA Tour staples, including Sahith Theegala who stands at 5 under and Tony Finau just one more adrift.

"I think again I'm not afraid to say I don't think the golf course really suits my game up until this year," Theegala said. "Really struggled off the tee most of my life and last couple years included, so off the tee's so important out here. I was really excited to come back because it's been the biggest improvement in my game.

"Really drove it awesome all year and I was just excited to play from the short grass here because I had a lot of lakes and rough the last couple years," he continued. "It's kind of like a revenge week for me. I just wanted to come back and see what I can do on the golf course that's beat me up pretty bad the last three years."

Unlike Bridgeman, Theegala enters the week in prime position in the season-long race. Inside the top 10 and all but secured of a spot in the Tour Championship, the free-swinging right-hander seeks revenge against this par-71 layout, which has produced three missed cuts in three tries.

Theegala's opening 66 is a great step towards seeing the weekend for the first time and a great step towards Theegala's first win of the season. Posting career-best numbers in a variety of areas, Theegala — who was once known for his volatility — has turned into one of the more consistent fixtures on PGA Tour leaderboards.

"It's funny, I'm not even like -- this is probably the only week where I genuinely feel I'm not even worried about the score, I just want to beat the golf course," Theegala said. "I'm not even looking at other guys or the board, don't care what they shoot, I just want to feel like I've tackled this course. It's a stressful golf course.

"It's a good start today, but it's playing soft and gettable and I think a bunch of guys are going to shoot good rounds," he continued. "Hopefully, the wind firms it up. I know there's going to be a lot more stressful shots. I'm just going to try to get through it all. It's fun, it's a different challenge. I know some guys would shy away, but I have no problem taking it on. If I fail, so be it, but I really don't want to let the course get the best of me again."

The leaders

1. Jacob Bridgeman (-8)
2. Mackenzie Hughes (-7)

It was a vintage Hughes performance on Thursday as he gained six strokes on the field with more than five of those coming courtesy of his putter. The Canadian made seven putts outside 10 feet, including a 59-foot birdie on the par-3 13th.

While his fellow countrymen, Nick Taylor and Corey Conners, are not in the field in preparation for next week's Olympics, Hughes is among a large group of Canadians consisting of Adam Hadwin, Taylor Pendrith and Adam Svensson, who are trying to make the most of this closing summer stretch in order to elicit a selection for the International Presidents Cup team. Thursday's bogey-free 64 is a good start.

"It was a great day," Hughes said. "I felt like I was maybe a tad bit off early with my swing and kind of -- made a nice up-and-down to keep my round going early. Kind of found a bit of a rhythm with my swing kind of seven, eight holes in and started to swing it a little better, and the putter was cooperating nicely today. It was a fun day on the greens."

Other contenders

T3. Martin Trainer, Patrick Rodgers, Andrew Novak (-6)
T6. Sahith Theegala, Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, Stewart Cink, Taylor Pendrith, Michael Thorbjornsen, Kurt Kitayama, Hayden Springer (-5)

Rodgers was rolling early and may have had thoughts of a sub-60 round at one stage. Turning in 5 under, he tacked on birdies on Nos. 1 and 3 (his 10th and 12th holes) to reach 7 under with six holes to play. He got as deep as 8 under with a birdie a few holes later, but dropped shots on two of his final three holes will position him two back heading into Friday. Regardless, it's a great start for a player who entered the week 51st in the FedEx Cup standings.

"The top 50 number is enormous now with the new structure of the Tour," Rodgers said. There's a big discrepancy between being inside the top 50 and getting in the signature events and not having those opportunities. There's so much to play for. I'm just trying to play my best golf. I feel like I'm playing well at the right time, which is exciting.

"I probably feel more fresh this time of year than I have in years past with the shortened schedule," he continued. "I feel like my season's had a little better flow to it, which has been nice. Yeah, I'm excited, I feel like there's a nice stretch of opportunities here coming and it's exactly what you want, to have all to play for as the season's finishing."

The game within the game

With it being an Olympics year, the PGA Tour has only two regular-season events following The Open, making it much more of a sprint than usual. Not only is someone like Rodgers on the bubble, but there are also plenty of big names are on important cut-off points, including Hughes, who entered the week at No. 50 in the FedEx Cup standings.

A great result would make his postseason much less stressful and all but secure his place in the field for the 2025 signature events. Meanwhile, Sam Burns is currently the last man in the Tour Championship and needs a quality outing not only to make his way to East Lake but also to impress Captain Jim Furyk for the U.S. Presidents Cup team.

2024 3M Open updated odds and picks

• Tony Finau: 8-1
• Sahith Theegala: 8-1
• Mackenzie Hughes: 9-1
• Kurt Kitayama: 14-1
• Patrick Rodgers: 14-1
• Andrew Novak: 16-1
• Jacob Bridgeman: 16-1
• Taylor Pendrith: 18-1

Finau was my selection at the beginning of the week and a closing birdie to get him to 4 under will allow him to enter the second round within arm's reach of the lead. The 2022 champion was solid on Thursday, checking in as one of the best iron player gaining more than three strokes on approach. The putter wasn't stellar, but he has putted these greens well in the past and has been much improved over the last couple months.