Gamez leads after opening 63

Robert Gamez fired a seven-under 63 Thursday to grab the opening-round lead at the Texas Open. Gamez finished one shot ahead of John Huston and Frank Lickliter II.

D.A. Weibring is two shots off the lead after a round of 65 while Joel Edwards, David Morland IV, Rory Sabbatini and Mark Brooks are tied for fifth at four-under-par 66.

"I played solid all day," said Gamez. "I hit a lot of good golf shots and I started out well. That's what you have to do to shoot a good score."

Gamez started on the back nine on the Resort Course at La Cantera Golf Club and quickly picked up birdies at the 10th and the 11th. Gamez kept his momentum with a 25-foot par save at the par-three 13th after he missed the green off the tee.

The 34-year-old had an eagle chance at the par-five 14th after he hit a three-iron to the back fringe. The ball stopped 15 feet from the hole and Gamez two-putted for birdie to reach three-under.

Gamez struggled with a bogey at the following hole but responded with three straight birdies starting at the par-four 16th to make the turn at minus-five.

At the par-four fifth, Gamez hit a wedge inside 10 feet and ran home the putt for a birdie. He faltered with a three-putt bogey at the sixth but countered with a birdie at the very next hole to match Huston, who took the early lead with a bogey-free 64.

Gamez took the outright lead at the par-four eighth after he landed his second shot within seven feet of the hole for birdie, his ninth of the day.

The two-time winner on the PGA Tour earned his first top-10 finish since 1997 at the Greater Greensboro Classic in April. He has gone on to earn three additional top-10s this season, including a second-place finish at the John Deere Classic. However, Gamez has missed the cut in three of his last six starts.

"I'm finally healthy and I'm able to hit shots again," said Gamez. "I went to the bellybutton putter back at the Kemper Open. It's just starting to come into its own. I had some good weeks with it, struggled for a few weeks. But I putted great today."

Huston got off to a good start early with three birdies on the front nine and added a stretch of three consecutive birdies on the inward half to finish at six-under par.

"It is good to get off to a good start," said Huston. "I played pretty well. I hit probably pretty much every fairway and I think I only missed one green. I didn't make a lot of long putts, but I made most of the ones that I should have made."

Tom Kite was four shots off the lead after a round of 67. The 52-year-old collected seven birdies and four bogeys to finish in a tie for ninth alongside Paul Stankowski, Andrew Magee, Brent Geiberger, Steve Allen, Jess Daley, Donnie Hammond, Loren Roberts, Spike McRoy, Bradley Hughes, Jeff Gove, Mathew Goggin, Bob Tway, Jeff Brehaut and Brian Gay.

Two-time defending champion Justin Leonard carded a one-under 69 to finish six shots back in a tie for 39th.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page