James Driscoll equals the course record at Puerto Rico Open – PGA Tour update
James Driscoll, hit 9 under par for 63 in an amazing form and equaled the course record at the opening round of the PGA’s Puerto Rico Open on Thursday. The 33-year-old American delivered seven birdies to finish off with a two shot lead.
Driscoll was 11 under on his 14th when he eagled the par fifth but lost the lead when he suffered consecutive bogeys on the seventh and eighth. Driscoll narrowly missed a chance to break under 60, but he ended up equaling the par 63 record set
by Derek Lamely in his third round last year.
"I was 11 under with three to play, so I mean anything could have happened," Driscoll said. "If I birdied all three holes or two of them, I could have shot in the 50s, but they were tough holes. The seventh hole is a pretty tough hole. I hit a good shot,
made bogey, unfortunately kind of got a bad kick, but then the eighth hole I hit it solid, but I pulled it in the hazard and made bogey there. So with three holes to go, definitely could have been lower, but I got a few lucky breaks out there, too, so I'm
not really looking back thinking that it should have been a lot lower. But it could have been."
Driscoll is leading with two strokes above fellow American Will McKenzie. Angel Cabrera, Omar Uresti and Brendan Steele started off with 66s while Stewart Cink was on 69 at the end of the first round.
Mike Weir and Boo Weekley have already withdrawn from the tournament on account of injuries. Weir’s career is in a downward spiral with a career worse of 85 in the Honda Classic. John Daly was also seen struggling, finishing 4-over par after six holes.
Puerto Rico Open Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA tour having a purse of $3.5 million with $630,000 for the winner. It is staged every year since 2008, at the Trump International Golf Club in Puerto Rico designed by Tom Kite. This
year’s event is of particular importance as some of the big wigs of the sport, Stewart Cink and Angel Cabrera have come down to participate because they weren’t able to qualify for the WGC Cadillac Championship being played alongside in Doral Miami.
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