Latest news with #USPGATourTexasOpen
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Harman goes four clear at Texas Open
American Brian Harman plays a tee shot on the way to the 36-hole lead at the US PGA Tour Texas Open (Mike Mulholland) Former British Open champion Brian Harman had eight birdies in a six-under-par 66 to surge to a four-shot lead on Friday midway through the PGA Tour Texas Open in San Antonio. Harman, chasing his first victory since his 2023 Open Championship triumph at Royal Liverpool, built a 12-under-par total at TPC San Antonio, and was four clear of fellow American Keith Mitchell, who carded an even-par 72. Advertisement Harman, who won his lone major title by six shots, said past experience of playing with a big lead would help him at the weekend. "Just knowing that I've done it before and that it is possible," he said. "It's just left foot, right foot and just take your time getting finished." Harman opened with a 10-foot birdie at the 10th and added an eight-foot birdie at the 12th. After a bogey at 16 he reeled four birdies in a row, starting with a nine-footer at 17. He rolled in an 11-foot birdie the 18th before birdie putts of six and 10 feet at the first and second. "It was nice to make a nice putt on 17, nice putt on 18, really good approach on one and then nice putt on two to really get the round rolling and get feeling really comfortable out there," said Harman, who is trying to build momentum heading into the first major of the year, the Masters, at Augusta National next week. Advertisement A three-foot birdie at the fifth left Harman four strokes up with four to play and he stuck his tee shot at the par-three seventh within four feet for another birdie. Harman dropped a shot at his final hole, the par-four ninth, where his tee shot found the left rough among the trees and his 12-foot putt to save par narrowly missed. But Mitchell had his own troubles coming in. Having started his day with a birdie at the 10th he was one-under through his first nine holes with three birdies and two bogeys. - Still in there - Bogeys at the first and fourth saw him slide further adrift, and after birdies at the fifth and sixth he dropped a shot when he missed the green at the par-three seventh and finished 36 holes at eight-under 136. Advertisement "A little up and down ... but all in all I'm still in there," Mitchell said. "I wish I was closer to Brian than I am, but glad to make par on nine so I could stay in the last group." Overnight leader Sam Ryder was still in the mix despite a two-over 74 that featured four bogeys and two birdies and left him tied for third on seven-under 137. Ryder said the neck and upper back pain that flared up before the tournament affected him, but mostly, he said "I just didn't play well. "I kind of got off to a bad start and just didn't really get in a good rhythm," Ryder said. "Yeah, I was feeling it a little bit, but was able to kind of grind through it. All in all, if you told me I was going to be in this position going into Saturday, then I would have taken it I think on Thursday." Advertisement He was joined on 137 by Japan's Ryo Hisatsune and England's Matt Wallace, who both shot 67. All are among the players in the field who could earn an invitation to the Masters with a victory on Sunday. bb/rcw
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Late birdie burst lifts Ryder to Texas Open lead
American Sam Ryder reacts on the 18th green, where a birdie lifted him to the first-round lead of the US PGA Tour Texas Open (Jonathan Bachman) Sam Ryder surged to a one-shot lead at the US PGA Tour Texas Open on Thursday, conjuring birdies at six of the last seven holes to edge ahead of fellow American Keith Mitchell. Ryder, chasing a first PGA Tour title, strung together three straight birdies from the 12th through the 14th, then birdied 16, 17 and 18 to complete a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 at TPC San Antonio. Advertisement Mitchell had set an early target with an eagle and six birdies in his eight-under 64. Brian Harman, who hasn't won since he lifted the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, had seven birdies and a bogey in a six-under 66 that left him in third. While both Ryder and Mitchell could earn an invitation to the first major of the year next week at the Masters with a victory, Harman is among those using the week to warm up for Augusta National. So is three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, who had six birdies and a bogey in his five-under 67 to share fourth place with Carson Young. Ryder admitted he went into the day with few expectations, having pulled out of Wednesday's pro-am because of neck pain. Advertisement But he "eased into" the round with birdies at the first and second before adding another at the eighth. He really put the pedal down on the back nine, starting with a 21-foot birdie at the 12th. He added an eight-foot birdie at the par-three 13th and landed his third shot from the right rough less than three feet from the pin for a birdie at the par-five 14th. After a par at 15 he rolled in a 23-foot birdie at 16 and a 12-footer at 17. At the par-five 18th he landed his third shot from the fairway a foot from the pin. "Had a couple of nice par saves on some tricky hole locations, tricky winds," he said. "Had a few nice stretches on the back nine, went on couple of birdie runs and took advantage of some par-fives. Advertisement "Snuck a couple of birdies in on tough par-three holes that you don't really expect to birdie. All in all it was a pretty good day," concluded Ryder, who had 15 one-putts and needed just 21 putts overall. Mitchell eagled the par-five eighth, saying he had a bit of luck in his second shot from the left rough ending up three feet from the pin. "I wouldn't call it on accident, it was where I was aiming, but the fact that it just ended up being there is very fortunate," he said. It was another strong start for Mitchell, who had the lead or share of the lead after 18 holes in each of the past two weeks. "My game's been trending," he said. "I'd like to put some solid rounds together. Hopefully, it's this week." bb/rcw
