South Africa’s Garrick Higgo was two shots behind the leader, American Joel Dahmen, after the first round of the PGA Tour’s Corales Puntacana Championship.

Higgo’s eight-under 64 at the Corales Golf Course at Puntacana Resort on Thursday included nine birdies and a bogey.

Dahmen, whose lone PGA Tour victory was four years ago at this additional event tournament in the Dominican Republic, finished with three birdies over his last four holes .

The winner of the tournament gets a two-year exemption and a spot in the PGA Championship next month.

It is being held the same week as the RBC Heritage, a Signature Event in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

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