'Thought I was going to get trampled': DJ draws a crowd; Sabbatini leads at Harbour Town

JP Carr ducked his way through the colorful crowd and found his target near the putting green early Thursday afternoon.

The 12-year-old Hilton Head Island resident handed Dustin Johnson his white S.C. Golf Association hat, and the world's top player scrawled his signature on the bill.

JP quickly dug out his phone and texted his mother. He had followed Johnson nearly the entire first round of the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing on Thursday.

Playing with fellow South Carolina native Wesley Bryan, Johnson drew a crowd rarely rivaled in past years at Harbour Town Golf Links.

"I thought I was going to get trampled today," JP said.

While Johnson was the draw, Rory Sabbatini grabbed the first-round lead with a 7-under-par 64 on a perfect day on Hilton Head after cold wet weather early in the week. Past champion Matt Kuchar, playing with Johnson and Bryan, is one of four players tied for second after a 5-under 66.

The 50th Heritage began with sunny skies and low scores after cold, wet weather early in the week.

Sabbatini hurt his back Sunday working on a golf drill, rested early in the week and said he was lucky to compete Thursday.

Rain early in the week helped shots hold the green and allowed for more aggressive play, Sabbatini said.

"All things considered, the course is probably as easy as I've ever seen it play," he said. "So you've got to go out there and get your scores today, because it's only going to get tougher as the week goes on."

The wind picked up for the afternoon groups. Chesson Hadley's 66 was his lowest round at Harbour Town and the best of the players who teed off after lunchtime.

Johnson and Bryan matched 2-under 69s after a morning start, though each had the chance to go lower.

During a stretch of four consecutive birdies in the middle of his round, Johnson showed how his distance could work as an advantage at Harbour Town when he hits it straight. To set up birdies on Nos. 2 and 3, he bombed drives past Kuchar and Bryan and created advantageous angles to approach the green.

But missed fairways led to bogeys on three of his final five holes. Johnson also blamed his putter for his performance on his closing holes after starting his round on No. 10.

The 2014 champion Kuchar grabbed some of the attention from his Palmetto State partners with birdies on three of his final four holes. Bryan joked that there were more calls of "Kuuuuch" than he expected with two locals in the group.

"It was good energy," Kuchar said.

Harbour Town has hosted large crowds before.

Tiger Woods' brought out the fans during his only Hilton Head appearance in 1999, when he played all four rounds near the peak of his career.

Crowds flocked to Jordan Spieth when he kept his Heritage commitment after winning the Masters in 2015.

And on Thursday a similar crowd wound through the trees of the Sea Pines golf course to glimpse the 6-foot-4 Johnson's first round here since 2009 and to watch the defending champion Bryan, whose belt included a taco pattern.

Family and friends were among those watching Johnson and Bryan, who are both from the Columbia area and attended Dutch Fork High School in Irmo.

"It's great to come back and play for hometown fans and get to see a lot of people," Johnson said.

After Johnson signed his scorecard, he hit the driving range, putting green and then signed autographs for the large group that gathered near practice green in front of the Harbour Town clubhouse.

Johnson, now sponsored by tournament sponsor RBC, said he plans to return to Hilton Head "the next few years." Assuming he maintains his lofty world ranking, the crowds are sure to continue to follow.

"It was crazy," said Columbia television anchor and former NFL linebacker Corey Miller, who followed the group Thursday. "It was like following Tiger."

This story was originally published April 12, 2018 at 6:28 PM with the headline "'Thought I was going to get trampled': DJ draws a crowd; Sabbatini leads at Harbour Town."