Denny McCarthy ended a miserable day in a most brilliant manner Thursday at the Genesis Invitational, closing birdie-eagle for a 4-under 68 on a Torrey Pines course that more than lived up to its reputation as a beast.

The lowest scorer among them was journeyman Denny McCarthy, who assumed the first-round lead with an eagle on the 574-yard, par-5 18th hole. McCarthy smashed his drive 308 yards off the tee and put his second shot within 7 1/2 feet of the cup before completing a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke advantage over Seamus Power and Patrick Rodgers.

In the opening round of The Genesis Invitational 2025, Denny McCarthy carded a 4-under 68 to take an early one-stroke lead over the field.