PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Kevin Streelman has a brand new ball marker to assist with alignment that required USGA approval earlier than he teed off Thursday within the Valspar Championship. He had 10 consecutive one-putt greens on his option to a 7-under 64 and a one-shot lead.
Streelman took benefit of beautiful climate whereas it lasts with birdies on all 4 of the par 5s on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook. He took solely 24 putts for the spherical.
“I knew at present was going to be stable after which it’s going to be hold-onto-your-shorts right here for the following few days,” Streelman mentioned. “So attempting to only hold a superb perspective and have some enjoyable.”
Kevin Roy, who misplaced his PGA Tour card final yr and is enjoying on a sponsor exemption, had eight birdies in his spherical of 65.
Streelman tried out a brand new ball marker through the pro-am. The round piece on the highest has a stable line and it has an extended spike to place within the floor. He seems on the line and may flip the piece to present him a superb visible earlier than lining up his golf ball.
However he wished to verify it was authorized, so the PGA Tour guidelines workers checked with the USGA. The spike may be not than an inch, so Streelman filed it all the way down to that dimension.
“It’s form of cool little new ball marker I’m utilizing that’s authorized that may form of offer you some visible cues that I believe is fairly useful,” Streelman mentioned. “I used to be utilizing that at present, which I believe form of helped, as nicely.”
His streak of one-putts began with a 5-foot birdie putt on the par-5 14th and ended with a birdie from 8 ft on the par-5 fifth. He had 4 par saves in that stretch, some tougher than others.
It added to his lowest rating since a 64 within the 3M Open in Minnesota final summer time when he went on to a runner-up end.
Carl Yuan was within the group at 66 and he had fun underneath direct orders from his spouse. It was his birthday. He turned 27. She didn’t need him to spend his day overthinking golf.
“Undoubtedly had slightly completely different mindset,” he mentioned. “My spouse known as me this morning, informed me concerning the birthday, so she mentioned the one factor I’ll do is have enjoyable on the course. Don’t come out right here to do golf swings, simply play golf. That’s what I did. Yeah, it labored out fairly good.”
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Roy can relate, even and not using a birthday and cupcakes in his honor within the locker room. He was simply comfortable to be on the Valspar Championship after discovering out two weeks in the past about his sponsor exemption. Roy missed the lower by one shot in eight PGA Tour occasions final yr and completed 174th within the FedExCup.
He’s already off to a superb begin on the Korn Ferry with a runner-up end within the Bahamas.
“I informed my caddie, who’s my buddy, ‘We received nothing actually to lose. Let’s exit, have some enjoyable. As a result of I’m primarily targeted on the Korn Ferry Tour this yr, however I’m going to attempt to hold the pedal down and see the place it takes us,” Roy mentioned.
Circumstances have been splendid sufficient, even with a stronger breeze within the afternoon, that 27 gamers have been at 68 or decrease on one of many stronger programs on the Florida swing.
Yuan was joined by Peter Malnati and Adam Svensson of Canada, with Keith Mitchell within the group at 67. Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas have been amongst these at 68.
Jordan Spieth appeared as if he would possibly be a part of them till two bogeys on his last three holes, one a three-putt from lengthy vary on the sixteenth, the opposite on the 18th when he missed the inexperienced to the left and did not get up-and-down. He nonetheless shot a 69.
The problem was to begin Friday, with a forecast of rain and gusts within the 30 mph vary.
DIVOTS: Even with a 152-man discipline — Garrick Higgo and J.B. Holmes withdrew — all however one participant managed to complete earlier than darkness, a tribute to how briskly the Copperhead course performs with so many tees subsequent to the greens. Kevin Dougherty selected to not attempt a 45-foot putt on the 18th gap in the dead of night. … Kevin Kisner, within the broadcast sales space for NBC throughout The Gamers Championship, put two tee photographs within the water on the sixteenth for an 8 and shot 80. … Kisner, Dougherty, Streelman and Roy are amongst seven gamers named Kevin within the discipline. The others are Tway, Yu and Aylwin, a Monday qualifier.
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