Former UCLA player Corey Shaun breaks TPC Sawgrass course record during PGA Tour Q School

Corey Shaun fired a 9-under-par 61 in the opening round of the PGA Tour Q School to break the course record at TPC Sawgrass' Dye's Valley Course. The former UCLA player secured a five-stroke lead over Richy Werenski.

On Thursday, December 12, Shaun entered the PGA Tour Q School after securing the DP World Tour card last month. Starting from the tenth tee, he picked up three birdies on holes 10-12 before sinking another one on the front nine on the sixteenth. He began with five straight birdies on the back nine and finished at 9-under-par.

With 9-under 61, the Encinitas, California, resident broke Tommy Gainey's record at Dye's Valley. Gainey had carded 62 during the 2014 Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Besides, the Encinitas, the California resident also equaled Esteban Toledo's record for the lowest first-round Q School score and broke Toledo's record for the highest opening-round lead.

"I wasn't trying to shoot anything" - Corey Shaun reflects on his opening round 61 at the PGA Tour Q School

During the post-round interview, Corey Shaun revealed that he did think about shooting a 59 during the opening round, especially after carding a birdie on the fifth hole.

"I knew it was technically possible but then I started realizing that the last few holes are pretty tough," he said as per Golfweek. "I wasn't trying to shoot anything. I was just trying to hit the right golf shots at the time."

Corey Shaun, who leads at 9-under after Day 1, mentioned that he didn't adopt an aggressive approach in the opening round.

"I pretty much played really conservative, consistent golf, a lot of really good 8-irons, 7-iron approach shots, stuff like that," he continued. "[Hit it] to 15 feet and made a bunch of those. Stack up a lot of good golf shots and see what happens."

After Day 1, Corey Shaun leads at 9-under, with Richy Werenski in second at 4-under. Lanto Griffin (Valley), Callum Tarren (Sawgrass), Cooper Musselman (Sawgrass), and Ryan McCormick (Valley) share third place at 3-under. Meanwhile, 13 players, including Austin Cook and Tyler Duncan, are tied for seventh at 2-under.

Here is the leaderboard for the PGA Tour Q School after the first round:

1. Corey Shaun -9
2. Richy Werenski -4
T3. Cooper Musselman -3
T3. Ryan McCormick -3
T3. Lanto Griffin -3
T3. Callum Tarren -3
T7. Grant Hirschman -2
T7. Austin Smotherman -2
T7. Luis Gerardo Garza -2
T7. Nate Stember -2
T7. Matthew Riedel -2
T7. Tyler Duncan -2
T7. Hayden Buckley -2
T7. Austin Cook -2
T7. Clay Feagler -2
T7. Johnny Keefer -2
T7. Takumi Kanaya -2
T7. Doc Redman -2
T7. Shad Tuten -2