Brendan Steele cards eight birdies to lead rain-hit Valero Texas Open
SKYSPORTS.COM
By Andy Charles
Brendan Steele managed eight birdies in his first 13 holes in San Antonio
Brendan Steele leads by two shots at the end of a rain-affected opening day of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
Steele surged to the top of the leaderboard with a birdie
blitz, reaching eight under par with five holes remaining in his opening
round before bad light brought an end to proceedings.
The
American, winner of the tournament in 2011, will be one of 72 players
returning to the course early on Friday morning to complete his opening
round.
Steele started at the 10th on the Oaks Course and birdied his first three holes, adding a fourth at the 14th.
Another
streak of birdies commenced at the 18th, with three more following as
he started out on the front nine, the second of those enough to take him
past clubhouse leader Charley Hoffman.
Hoffman
was among the early starters and he made a birdie at the first before
the weather intervened and forced a suspension in play.
Charley Hoffman set the clubhouse pace with a round of 66
He
returned to pick up shots at the fifth and sixth and made three more
birdies on the back nine before a wayward drive at the 17th cost him his
only bogey of the round.
But Hoffman made it back to six under and completed a fine round of 66 with a birdie at the par-five closing hole.
Australia's
Stuart Appleby produced a sensational finish to his opening 18 holes to
sit on five under, the veteran making birdies at his final five holes.
Peter
Malnati matched Appleby in carding a round of 67, with three birdies
and a spectacular eagle at the 17th, where he holed out from just under
100 yards.
Steve Flesch, who has played only once on the PGA Tour this year, had five birdies in his four under 68.
Brandt
Snedeker and Patrick Reed also sit on four under with five holes
remaining, while Sweden's Freddie Jacobson is on the same score with
seven holes left to play.
And Luke Donald continued his 2016
rebound with four birdies and a bogey in his first 14 holes - the
Englishman sits on three under.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
+72 Players have still to complete their rounds
Only those with a "F" opposite their names have played 18 holes.
Par 72
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