Casey shares lead in title defense at Innisbrook

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Paul Casey drove into Innisbrook and saw his picture on posters and programs, just what he needed to forget the cut he missed last week.

He played Friday as though he wants those photos to stay there.

Casey holed a 30-foot eagle putt on the 599-yard fifth hole and made short birdie putts on the other three par 5s on his way to a 5-under 66, giving him a share of the lead with Austin Cook in the Valspar Championship.

No one has ever won back-to-back at the Valspar Championship since it became a PGA Tour event in 2000.

“I’ve never defended a professional event. I would love to do that,” Casey said. “Mentally last year I was hoping I would win, wanting to win. This year, knowing that I have won around here, I have a slightly different approach to it, and I played today quite aggressively and tried to take advantage of the golf course that I knew was going to get very, very tough this afternoon.”

Casey and Cook, who shot a 67, were at 6-under 136.

Luke Donald holed a bunker shot for birdie on the par-5 fifth to briefly take the lead, only to miss a 4-foot par putt on the next hole and drop another shot on the par-3 eighth. He shot 70 and was one behind, along with Scott Stallings (68) and Sungjae Im (67).

Dustin Johnson overcame a rough patch early in his round with five birdies on the front nine to salvage a 69. Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world, was two shots behind on a Copperhead course he hasn’t seen in nine years.

Also at 4-under 138 was Curtis Luck, the former U.S. Amateur champion and last man in the field when Kevin Na withdrew 30 minutes before his tee time. Luck had never seen Innisbrook until his opening tee shot.