Going Low at the Biltmore & Dunlap's Reunion - September 18th, 2026

On September 18th, 2026, soft conditions at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove led to a birdie barrage in Round 1 of the Biltmore Championship, highlighted by contrasting co-leaders, a caddie reunion, and crucial Presidents Cup tune-ups. BILTMORE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1 Rain-softened conditions and lift, clean, and place rules turned The Cliffs at Walnut Cove into a birdie fest. Co-leaders Max Greyserman and Eric Cole took entirely different paths to the top of the leaderboard. Greyserman shot a 64 after a five-week Italian vacation, noting a new course is "freeing" with "no bad memories," while ironman Cole is making his 131st start because he "enjoy[s] competing." Western Carolina senior Tyler Jones shot a 71 on a sponsor exemption, joking he lost feeling in his legs on the first tee but absolutely loved having his own locker. DUNLAP'S REUNION & HAOTONG'S YIPS Nick Dunlap bounced back from an opening triple bogey to shoot 67, sparked by a reunion with childhood mentor and caddie Jeff Curl. Meanwhile, Haotong Li gave a raw, self-deprecating interview about battling the chipping yips. Li explained his pressure-proof pull-cut technique—"aim a little left the face just never flip"—while Curl famously wrote "This can be an amazing story" in Dunlap's yardage book. The Biltmore Estate leaned into the caddie appreciation theme this week, gifting a special "The Caddie" syrah/zinfandel wine blend exclusively to the loopers. PRESIDENTS CUP PREP With Medinah looming next week, several stars used Asheville as a final tune-up, though the event saw a major shakeup with Justin Thomas withdrawing from the Presidents Cup and Cameron Champ stepping in. Jackson Koivun fired a 68, specifically noting he is using this week to replicate the intense PGA Tour pressure he'll face at the Cup. Jacob Bridgeman (66) and Nick Taylor (67) are finding their form at the perfect time, while Corey Conners and Christiaan Bezuidenhout also got crucial reps in. Quick Hits Brendan Valdes shoots a 76 in his return • The projected cut line is already sitting deep at three or four under par • Course agronomy and weather conditions are dictating highly aggressive scoring Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.