Byron Nelson Championship first-round update
At an inconclusive opening day at TPC Four Seasons Resort La Colinas, the clubhouse lead of four-under-par 66 was shared by five players, though only two - Australia's Jason Day and America's Joe Durant - managed to complete their rounds.
The other leaders included the top-ranked player here, world No. 17 Hunter Mahan, of the United States, as well as another couple of Australian players, Steve Elkington and Jarrod Lyle. Of that quintet, Durant had the most eye-catching round, carding eagles on the 7th and 8th together with three birdies, but also racking up three bogeys.
With several players yet to finish their round after rain temporarily halted play and then poor light brought proceedings to a close, last year's winner Rory Sabbatini was two strokes off the lead on two-under-par, though the South African was unhappy.
"A pretty dismal round of golf," the ever-outspoken Sabbatini reckoned, adding: "I didn’t hit many fairways and missed a few greens and wore my short game out there. Made things tough on myself. Anybody watching would have been completely baffled as to how I shot two-under."
Those with an eye on the rookies would have been heartened to see Alex Prugh on two-under having played 14 holes; that leaves the promising 25-year-old just two off the lead, having carded three birdies and a bogey. In a season when Prugh has already had three top-10 finishes this year, might the 100-1 shot be ready to challenge for his first win on the PGA Tour?
If Prugh looks in good shape, fellow rookie Rickie Fowler's opening round was more disappointing. Though the young Californian is looking for a good performance in order to force his way into the world's top 50 and thus gain entry to the US Open, yesterday Fowler could only make two-over, having shipped two birdies and four bogeys. Fowler is yet to finish his round, having got as far as the 16th yesterday.
Fijian Vijay Singh finds himself in a similar position, having dropped out of the top 50 for the first time since 1992 this week. The one-time world No. 1 was looking to force his way back into the 50 in order to guarantee a place at the major, but a pair of double bogeys on the 8th and 14th holes yesterday saw him stuck on two-over, having played as far as the 15th.
Of the Europeans, Greg Owen was the best performer, on level-par after completing 12 holes. The first round will resume at 7.15 local time today, with the start of the second round delayed by an hour.
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