Murray leads Texas Open field
Los Angeles, April 20: Grayson Murray fired a five- under- par 67 to claim a one- shot lead after the first round of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio on Thursday.
The 24- year- old from North Carolina, chasing only his second career win on the PGA Tour, edged clear of the field thanks to some long putting and solid iron play on the par72 TPC San Antonio Oaks course.
The American got off to a dream start, opening with back- to- back birdies on his first two holes before a superb chip from the fairway gave him a birdie tapin on the fifth to move to three under.
His round threatened to come apart on the parthree seventh, when he needed three shots to get onto the green before twoputting for a double- bogey five.
However Murray came storming back on the back nine, draining a 28- foot putt on the 11th for a birdie and then sinking another long putt on the 13th to move back to three under.
Two more birdies on the 17th and 18th saw him finish at five under, setting him up to challenge for his second title following a breakthrough win at the 2017 Barbasol Championship in his rookie season.
Five players were tied for second, a shot off the lead on four under, including Chesson Hadley, Billy Horschel, Ryan Moore, Keegan Bradley and Matt Atkins.
Five players — Andrew Landry, Jon Curran, Harris English, Joshua Creel and Mexico’s Roberto Diaz — were tied for seventh on three under, two off the lead.
A cluster of nine players, including Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker, were on two under after carding 70s.
PARK FEELS HOME
AT LA OPEN
“I played really well out there. Especially being the new golf course. I didn’t know how it was going to play,” Park said.
“The course played really good. Really suited me. I putted well out there, so I was really happy with that. I never played a tournament outside of Korea having this much Korean supporters out but I almost feel like I’m playing back home,” Park said. — AFP