“All happened right here,” Lee Hodges reflects on his return as a defending champion at the 3M Open 2024

Jacob Bridgeman leads the competition with an 8-under 63 in the first round.

“All happened right here,” Lee Hodges reflects on his return as a defending champion at the 3M Open 2024

Lee Hodges after winning the 3M Open 2023( Image via Golf Week)

Lee Hodges, the defending 3M Open winner, is looking to clinch a playoff position. He now sits 71st in the FedExCup rankings and hopes to win the tournament again. Lee Hodges won the 3M Open 2023, his first PGA Tour title.

He went toe-to-toe, leading after each of the first three rounds. Hodges’ margin of victory was seven strokes, the widest since Dustin Johnson’s 11-stroke win in 2020. He received $1.4 million and 500 FedEx Cup points. Hodges emerged victorious at the 2023 3M Open, and shot 260 and finished 24 strokes under par. Martin Laird, J.T. Poston, and Kevin Streelman were the runners-up.

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After returning to TPC 18 Green, he pondered on his comeback to the course as the reigning champion. He felt nostalgic since he had won his first tour.

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First time I was on 18 green today since last year, I just look around, like wow, that all happened right here.
Lee Hodges told the reporters

The 3M Open 2023 was a professional golf event played at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. The event, sponsored by Minnesota-based firm 3M, debuts in 2019 and is part of the PGA Tour schedule. The 2023 event ran from July 4 to July 9 and had a $7.8 million reward, with the winner collecting $1.404 million.

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Lee Hodges at 3M Open 2024

The 3M Open 2024 is being held at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. The event has a total purse of $8.3 million. The winner will get $1.458 million.

Lee Hodges is now ranked T-45 following Round 1. He hopes to improve his ranking as the event develops. Hodges, the defending 3M Open champ, will begin the second round of the 2024 event on Friday at 1:43 p.m. ET at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota.

Lee Hodges
Lee Hodges (Image via PGA Tour)

Hodges will be teamed with Akshay Bhatia and Tony Finau. Bhatia just won the Valero Texas Open, while Finau, a former 3M Open champion, is presently within striking distance of the lead after shooting a 67 in the first round.

Jacob Bridgeman, 24, leads the competition after shooting an 8-under 63 in the first round. He has a one-shot edge over Mackenzie Hughes, who shot 64 on Thursday.

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