RUSSELL KNOX STRUGGLES TO A 75 IN PUERTO RICO OPEN
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- Matt Jones and George McNeill topped the leaderboard at 6-under 66 in strong wind Thursday in the US PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com.
"It was very windy. Just had to judge it right," Jones said.
The Australian eagled the par-5 second hole and had five birdies and a bogey on the Trump International course.
"I had unbelievable ball-striking," Jones said. "I think I was pin high every hole except 17, when I wanted to be a bit short of it, then I made good putts, had a good eagle to get started and had a great day."
McNeill, the former Florida State player who won the 2007 Frys.com Open for his lone US Tour title, had a bogey-free round.
"It's just like Florida, so it felt comfortable, and I happened to play well," McNeill said. "Obviously, I hit it pretty well and putted pretty well, and the few greens that I missed, I chipped then close and had tap-ins and everything else, so I avoided the mistakes."
Former (British) Open champion Ben Curtis was a stroke back at 67.
"With the windy conditions, the big thing is to keep the ball in play, keep it in the fairway and hit a lot of greens and that's what I did," Crane said. "I just tried to make a lot of controlled swings and hit the ball solid and get it going in the right direction."
Jeff Overton, Todd Hamilton, another past (British) Open champion, Kevin Kisner and Daniel Summerhays followed at 68.
"It was hard," Overton said. "A lot of wind."
He made a double bogey after hitting into the water on the par-4 12th, his third hole of the day, then finished the round by holing a 7-iron from 147 yards for eagle on the par-4 ninth.
"The wind was howling off the right, and I started 25 yards right of the hole, and I hit a draw and I thinned it just a little bit, which kept the ball down, otherwise I think the ball would have overhooked and went in the bunker," Overton said. "I really was just hoping it was going to be somewhat close, and the thing came down and just one-hopped in the hole. I didn't know it went in, because you couldn't see it."
Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa, playing the event for the first time after failing to qualify for the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Doral, shot a 70.
Michael Bradley, the winner in 2009 and 2011, opened with a 72.
+Russell Knox has an uphill struggle ahead to beat the cut after a three-over-par 75 in which he bogeyed the first, third, fourth and sixth holes. He starts the second day in T95 position.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
66 Matt Jones (Australia), George McNeill
67 Ben Curtis
68 Jeff Overton, Kevin Kisner, Todd Hamilton, Daniel Summerhays
SELECTED SCORES
69 Brian Davis (England) (T8)
72 David Duval (T53)
73 Gary Christian (England) (T65).
75 Russell Knox (Scotland) (T95)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- Matt Jones and George McNeill topped the leaderboard at 6-under 66 in strong wind Thursday in the US PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com.
"It was very windy. Just had to judge it right," Jones said.
The Australian eagled the par-5 second hole and had five birdies and a bogey on the Trump International course.
"I had unbelievable ball-striking," Jones said. "I think I was pin high every hole except 17, when I wanted to be a bit short of it, then I made good putts, had a good eagle to get started and had a great day."
McNeill, the former Florida State player who won the 2007 Frys.com Open for his lone US Tour title, had a bogey-free round.
"It's just like Florida, so it felt comfortable, and I happened to play well," McNeill said. "Obviously, I hit it pretty well and putted pretty well, and the few greens that I missed, I chipped then close and had tap-ins and everything else, so I avoided the mistakes."
Former (British) Open champion Ben Curtis was a stroke back at 67.
"With the windy conditions, the big thing is to keep the ball in play, keep it in the fairway and hit a lot of greens and that's what I did," Crane said. "I just tried to make a lot of controlled swings and hit the ball solid and get it going in the right direction."
Jeff Overton, Todd Hamilton, another past (British) Open champion, Kevin Kisner and Daniel Summerhays followed at 68.
"It was hard," Overton said. "A lot of wind."
He made a double bogey after hitting into the water on the par-4 12th, his third hole of the day, then finished the round by holing a 7-iron from 147 yards for eagle on the par-4 ninth.
"The wind was howling off the right, and I started 25 yards right of the hole, and I hit a draw and I thinned it just a little bit, which kept the ball down, otherwise I think the ball would have overhooked and went in the bunker," Overton said. "I really was just hoping it was going to be somewhat close, and the thing came down and just one-hopped in the hole. I didn't know it went in, because you couldn't see it."
Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa, playing the event for the first time after failing to qualify for the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship at Doral, shot a 70.
Michael Bradley, the winner in 2009 and 2011, opened with a 72.
+Russell Knox has an uphill struggle ahead to beat the cut after a three-over-par 75 in which he bogeyed the first, third, fourth and sixth holes. He starts the second day in T95 position.
LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72
Players from US unless stated
66 Matt Jones (Australia), George McNeill
67 Ben Curtis
68 Jeff Overton, Kevin Kisner, Todd Hamilton, Daniel Summerhays
SELECTED SCORES
69 Brian Davis (England) (T8)
72 David Duval (T53)
73 Gary Christian (England) (T65).
75 Russell Knox (Scotland) (T95)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, March 09, 2012
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