DALLAS, May 26 (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia charged into a share of the early lead in the first round of the Byron Nelson Championship on Thursday just three days after pulling out of a British Open qualifier with a finger injury.
Despite not having played the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas in practice this week, the Spaniard holed out with a sand wedge to eagle his opening hole on the way to a sparkling four-under-par 66.
Garcia also carded three birdies and a lone bogey at the par-four 15th in dazzling sunshine to end the round level with Americans Dustin Johnson, Jeff Quinney, Scott Piercy and Will Strickler.
“It was definitely a nice round to start the week,” Garcia, 31, told reporters. “On Tuesday I didn’t think I had a chance of playing… the finger was so sore.
“But we worked on it on Tuesday, they gave me some antibiotic cream and I kept putting on that cream and taking the antibiotics.
“It definitely feels better. A little sore but definitely I can play without having to think about it, which is good.”
Garcia, who withdrew on Monday from the U.S. qualifying tournament in nearby Plano, Texas, for this year’s British Open, surprised himself with his red-hot start to the round.
He hit a wayward drive on his opening hole, the par-four 10th, but was fortunate to end up with a good lie.
PERFECT START
“I thought if I hit a good shot with a sand wedge I could start with a birdie and calm me down after everything that’s been going on through the week,” Garcia said.
“And I hit it and I saw guys on the green saying ‘in’ and I thought: ‘Perfect!’ I couldn’t have started in a better way.”
Garcia’s playing partner Johnson matched him with an opening 66 after rebounding from an ugly par, double-bogey start with six birdies the rest of the way.
“I hit two good shots on 10 and kinda missed it (the birdie putt) on the low side,” the long-hitting Johnson said. “Then I hooked it in the water on 11, hit a good drive after that and pitched it over the green and got up and down for a double.
“But I came right back and birdied the next hole, hit it close on the next one and just played really well from there on out.”
Johnson relished playing with Garcia and South Korean K.J. Choi, winner of the prestigious Players Championship two weeks ago, in the opening round.
“It was a nice day,” Johnson said. “K.J. played well for the most part, missed a few putts, hit a lot of good ones. Overall it was a fun day.”
Australian Jason Day, however, did not have quite as much fun as he launched his title defence with a 72.
Winner here by two strokes last year, Day bogeyed three of his first six holes and then fought back to level before double-bogeying the par-four ninth, his final hole, after hitting his second shot into water.
Despite not having played the TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas in practice this week, the Spaniard holed out with a sand wedge to eagle his opening hole on the way to a sparkling four-under-par 66.
Garcia also carded three birdies and a lone bogey at the par-four 15th in dazzling sunshine to end the round level with Americans Dustin Johnson, Jeff Quinney, Scott Piercy and Will Strickler.
“It was definitely a nice round to start the week,” Garcia, 31, told reporters. “On Tuesday I didn’t think I had a chance of playing… the finger was so sore.
“But we worked on it on Tuesday, they gave me some antibiotic cream and I kept putting on that cream and taking the antibiotics.
“It definitely feels better. A little sore but definitely I can play without having to think about it, which is good.”
Garcia, who withdrew on Monday from the U.S. qualifying tournament in nearby Plano, Texas, for this year’s British Open, surprised himself with his red-hot start to the round.
He hit a wayward drive on his opening hole, the par-four 10th, but was fortunate to end up with a good lie.
PERFECT START
“I thought if I hit a good shot with a sand wedge I could start with a birdie and calm me down after everything that’s been going on through the week,” Garcia said.
“And I hit it and I saw guys on the green saying ‘in’ and I thought: ‘Perfect!’ I couldn’t have started in a better way.”
Garcia’s playing partner Johnson matched him with an opening 66 after rebounding from an ugly par, double-bogey start with six birdies the rest of the way.
“I hit two good shots on 10 and kinda missed it (the birdie putt) on the low side,” the long-hitting Johnson said. “Then I hooked it in the water on 11, hit a good drive after that and pitched it over the green and got up and down for a double.
“But I came right back and birdied the next hole, hit it close on the next one and just played really well from there on out.”
Johnson relished playing with Garcia and South Korean K.J. Choi, winner of the prestigious Players Championship two weeks ago, in the opening round.
“It was a nice day,” Johnson said. “K.J. played well for the most part, missed a few putts, hit a lot of good ones. Overall it was a fun day.”
Australian Jason Day, however, did not have quite as much fun as he launched his title defence with a 72.
Winner here by two strokes last year, Day bogeyed three of his first six holes and then fought back to level before double-bogeying the par-four ninth, his final hole, after hitting his second shot into water.
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