Austin Eckroat surges into T3 at Memorial Tournament with a spectacular Eagle

Austin Eckroat made a spectacular comeback at the Memorial Tournament on Thursday, June 1, carding an eagle on the 15th hole to move up several positions on the leaderboard to T3 at the close of the first round.

It wasn't a particularly remarkable day for Austin Eckroat, who reached the 15th hole playing for -2, with three bogeys and four birdies. With four holes to go, his progress was predicted, as a best-case scenario, that he would close the round in a fine while not comfortable position, waiting for a better second day.

But the beauty of golf is that one stroke can change everything. And that is exactly what Austin Eckroat achieved from the tee of the 15th hole - an excellent 312-yard drive to the right fairway, which almost fell into a sand hazard, but didn't.

At that point, Eckroat found himself with more than half of the hole's length (547 yards) covered with just one shot. However, to capitalize on his aspirations he needed another drive, perhaps not as long, but much more accurate, to get the ball closer to the flag. He went for it and got it.

Another good drive, this one 234 yards, took Austin Eckroat's ball right to the green, leaving it just five feet and one inch from the hole. The putt to finish the play was also well made and the rookie Eckroat, a newcomer to the PGA Tour this season, found himself in T2 of the Memorial Tournament.

Then came another bogey on the 17th hole that left a final -3 to close the day for Eckroat, finally finishing T3. But had it not been for that spectacular eagle, he would have finished in T17 with a 1-under 71. Capitalizing on every chance is that much important.

Day 1 of the Memorial Tournament closed with Davis Riley as the lone leader with -5, followed by Matt Wallace, just one stroke behind. Six golfers join Eckroat in third place (Danny Willet, Adam Hadwin, Mark Hubbard, Shane Lowry, David Lipsky, and Jordan Spieth).

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Austin Eckroat's PGA Tour debut season

Austin Eckroat, 24, has been a professional for just two years and earned his PGA Tour card in this very same 2023. However, his debut at this level had come in 2018, when he qualified for the U.S. Open.

From that date until the beginning of 2023, he participated in some tournaments by way of exemptions or qualifying tournaments.

Austin Eckroat at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (Image via Getty).

His first season as a member of the PGA Tour has been up and down. He has participated in 20 tournaments and has been cut in half. However, he files some interesting results as well.

He finished runner-up at the AT&T Byron Nelson just three weeks ago and was fifth at the Corales Puntacana Championship in March. He finished T12 at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and just four days ago he placed T16 at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

His first round at the Memorial Tournament was a warning that more exciting performances may be coming. It's a matter of waiting and seeing.