Charley Hoffman shoots 66 at Valero Texas Open
The morning storms that delayed play for more than three hours Thursday in the Valero Texas Open were expected.
Seeing Charley Hoffman’s name on the first page of the leaderboard at day’s end was just as predictable.
Hoffman, who has never missed a cut in 10 previous starts in the tournament, took advantage of soft conditions and took the lead with a 6-under-par 66, marking the 30th time in 41 rounds where he’s broken par in the event. After the skies cleared, the course drained beautifully and little wind moved across TPC San Antonio and Hoffman made seven birdies to offset one lone bogey.
“Six under is always good on this golf course or any golf course. 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.
“ For some reason I roll the putter well here. … It’s just one of those golf courses that sets up good to the eye. I feel good playing the golf course.”
Last year very few felt good at TPC San Antonio as the course played to an average of 2.251 over par during the tournament, ranking it as the toughest on the PGA Tour outside of the majors. But with steady storms having dropped nearly 5 inches of rain in the last week — nearly an inch fell Thursday morning and delayed play for 3 hours, 35 minutes as mini lakes and streams dotted the fairways — the teeth of the course were far less sharp. And there was no wind.
“A lot different than normal,” Hoffman said. “Usually you’re trying to land (iron shots) short; today you’re trying to get them past the hole and suck them back. Premium on driving isn’t quite as much. You can hit them in the rough and have a shot at the green. There’s low scores out there.”
There were plenty of them. Although half the field didn’t finish play — the second round will resume at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday — 31 of those who did sign scorecards were under par, with another 11 at level par.
A favorable forecast the next two days could keep the red numbers flowing.
On Hoffman’s heels at 67 were Peter Malnati and Stuart Appleby, who made birdies on his last five holes. Steve Flesch, playing in just his third event this season, shot 68 and Zach Johnson led a large group at 69. Brendan Steele was 8-under through 13 holes.
“I can’t figure the last time I probably had two, three birdies in a row,” Appleby said. “ … I was going nowhere, lots of pars, you know, few missed opportunities for birdies and something, I shouldn’t say jelled, but I hit a great iron shot into my first birdie hole coming in and I had a birdie and made another one, another one, another one.
“Can’t remember (when) I had a round of birdies like that.”
Flesch was the sixth alternate to get into the tournament on Monday, but on Tuesday got a call from the Tour that he was the first alternate. He quickly packed and was at the course two hours later. Then he was in the tournament and made birdies on his first two holes.
“San Antonio is the last place I thought I would be standing right now,” Flesch said. “ … When we started today it was darn near dark still. That’s why I was joking I made birdies on the first two holes because I couldn’t really see what I was doing. I’ve been out of it for a couple years. I’m not that sharp.
“The delay actually kind of helped because I wasn’t hitting it that great even though I got off to a good start. I went back out, hit a lot of solid shots this afternoon and made a couple more birdies. Been a long day.”