SAN ANTONIO — Russell Knox recorded 4 straight birdies on the again 9 and fired a 7-under 65 on Thursday for a one-shot lead after the opening spherical of the Valero Texas Open.
Knox closed out his spherical with a seven-foot putt to save lots of par on the par-5 18th at TPC San Antonio, and was one shot forward of Rasmus Hojgaard.
Hojgaard fired a 66 regardless of a double bogey on his last gap. Matt Kuchar is one other stroke again after a gap 5-under 67 and is amongst a bunch that features Denny McCarthy, Aaron Rei and J.J. Spaun.
Defending champ Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy completed at even-par 72. They have been exterior the highest 60 after one spherical and will flirt with the minimize line on Friday.
Full-field scores from the Valero Texas Open
Bryson DeChambeau had a 1-over 73. After holing a bunker shot for eagle on his eleventh gap and following with a birdie on the following, he made bogey on 4 of his final six holes.
Knox, a 32-year-old Scotsman with two profession PGA Tour wins, began his birdie streak at No. 12. All of his birdie putts have been inside 10 ft. On the fifteenth, he was about 20 ft away from a again pin place following his strategy and chipped in from the perimeter. It was his second chip-in within the spherical.
“That was one of those kind of bonus birdies that you need when you’re going to have a good day,” Knox mentioned. “Obviously thrilled with the round. It’s been more of the way I want to play.”
Hogjaard, a 21-year-old from Denmark and two-time winner on the European Tour, had his sights on the first-round lead heading to his closing gap. However, his drive sailed effectively left of the green. It took him 4 photographs to achieve the inexperienced on the par-4 ninth.
“I had to chip sideways back into the fairway,” he mentioned. “Just was a little too aggressive after that. Yeah, short-sided myself and I didn’t get up and down and suddenly you walk away with double-bogey. Yeah, that was a bit annoying, but it happens.”
Kuchar was 5 below after 11 holes. Thirty ft away from the pin on the following gap, he did not rise up and down and missed a seven-foot putt for par. He bought a shot again with a birdie on his 14th gap, and parred out, falling brief in a bid to match his season-best spherical of 64 on the Sony Open, the place he completed within the high 10.
“A lot of good and bad that can happen here on this course,” Kuchar mentioned. “I was kind of managing early on in the round and then found a little something on about the fifth or sixth hole. I started having some birdie chances and converted on a few late in my first nine.”
Kuchar has received 9 instances on the PGA Tour. McCarthy, Rai and Spaun are searching for their first.
