Donald, who arrived at TPC San Antonio on the back of his runner-up finish at last week’s RBC Heritage, bogeyed the fifth but responded with five birdies to close on nine-under-par as Ricky Barnes vaulted into the outright lead after a seven-birdie 67. Open, birdied 11, 12 and 14 to grab the outright lead over Brendan Steele.
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About half of the field were still out on the course when play was suspended due to fading light.
Scott Langley, Stuart Appleby and Charley Hoffman are tied for second. “I had a really fresh green, no wind”.
But the American got back on track with three birdies in four holes from the 11th, including a superb 30-foot putt for a three at 12, and he got to 12 under with a neat pitch and putt from 90 yards at 17. She was like, ‘Do you want me to braid it for you?’ I was like, ‘Sure.
Hoffman, who led the Texas Open after the first round a year ago before finishing joint 11th, took advantage of rain-softened conditions and barely any wind as he piled up seven birdies and a lone bogey at the TPC San Antonio.
“I was swatting at it – a golf ball got in the way”, Appleby was able to joke.
“I always feel good here. I tend to play well here and hopefully I can keep it going and have a chance on Sunday”, said Hoffman, who hasn’t finished worse than a tie for 13th in his last seven starts in the tournament, with a tie for third in 2013 and a tie for second in 2011. He’ll be playing tomorrow with leader Ricky Barnes and Luke Donald, the older brother of Brendan’s caddie, Christian Donald.
‘It was a little bit of a slow start, but coming in with five birdies and no dropped shots, I felt pretty much in control.
“I think if I’m in command of my game”, Horschel said, “it doesn’t matter where I am”. She won the Australian Women’s Open in February, pulling away to beat top-ranked Lydia Ko by three strokes for her first LPGA Tour title.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman teamed to shoot an 11-under 60 in better-ball play and take the first-round lead in the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Ridgedale, Missouri.
The one-time PGA Tour victor, whose solitary title came here at the Texas Open in 2011, had two birdies and as many bogeys in a mixed bag.
Defending champions Billy Andrade and Joe Durant were a stroke back at 16 under along with the teams of David Frost-Roger Chapman and Kenny Perry-Scott Hoch.
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Appleby produced an incredible finish to move into contention, with a streak of birdies from 14 to 18. Steele could match that by going 1 under his final five holes.
