Are Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo friends? Zurich Classic leading rookies’ relationship explored

After one round, Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo are leading the Zurich Classic. They combined to shoot an impressive -14 on the day, which is good enough to enter play Friday with a one-stroke lead over the Hojgaard brothers.

Oftentimes, the duos in this event are close to one another. Sometimes, they're related. In the case of Salinda and Velo, though, they're close friends who have been together through the ups and downs of their careers.

Salinda thinks that might help them do well this weekend. He said via ASAP Sports:

"I think it helps a lot. I honestly think it's more important to play with someone you like and someone you enjoy playing with, one of your friends. It's really cool. We only get to play this format really once a year, and we've known each other since we were young junior golfers. We've stayed incredibly close friends since, and we've been looking forward to this event for a while."

They face a tall task in dethroning Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, who are longtime friends and countrymen and won last year at this event, but the rookies have a good relationship with one another and know their games well.

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Kevin Velo praises Isaiah Salinda after historic opening round

-14 is the lowest score after 18 holes in the history of the Zurich Classic. No duo has ever performed better in the first round than Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo. Salinda was at a loss for words to explain the record, but Velo was not.

Kevin Velo and Isaiah Salinda at the Zurich Classic (Image via Imagn)

He said via ASAP Sports that it was all Salinda:

"He played great. He made a ton of putts. He one-putted damn near every green it seemed like. Very easy to play golf when you have a partner that's stacking it and making a lot of putts. A few really clutch par saves that he had on the back nine, and it was a very, very solid day, but overall we kind of fed off each other, and I kind of sprinkled in some birdies when we needed to, but pretty much I was on his back the whole day."

Through 11 holes, the pair had made one eagle and all birdies otherwise. Velo said it was an "out-of-body" experience to watch Salinda make those putts:

"We had some very good momentum birdies. I feel like our birdie on 3, his birdie on 6, birdie on 9, the eagle on 7, there were these key shots and key putts that were made that really made a huge difference."

Nicolai Hojgaard and Rasmus Hojgaard are lurking one stroke back, and there are still three rounds to play, but Isaiah Salinda and Kevin Velo are in a good position after one round.