Beau Hossler's 62 leads field after first round at Shriners

 

[October 13, 2023]  LAS VEGAS -- Beau Hossler, still searching for his first PGA Tour win in his 174th start, holds a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Shriners Children's Open on Thursday.

The 28-year-old California native shot a 9-under 62 at TPC Summerlin.

Trailing Hossler by one stroke are J.T. Poston and Cameron Champ.

LPGA star Lexi Thompson, the first woman to be invited to play at a PGA event since 2018, was at 1 over par through 16 holes when play was suspended for the night due to darkness. She was tied for 76th, with the top 65 and ties making the cut.

The 12 players who didn't finish the first round will resume early Friday morning before playing the second round.

Hossler, who totaled eight birdies on the day, finished the front nine on a strong note, notching an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole. He also finished strong, with three birdies on his last four holes, overshadowing his lone bogey on No. 17.

"It was good," Hossler said. "I felt like I did everything well. I imagine statistically I was probably gaining strokes in every department, which is obviously a good thing for my confidence moving forward.

"Got the ball in play, hit some really nice wedges to close range, which was nice, and took advantage of the par-5s and the drivable hole, which I think out here is kind of the key."

Poston started on the back nine and wound up with a pair of eagles -- on Nos. 15 and 9 -- but he also had two bogeys.

"I thought (the course) played pretty tough, pretty breezy around here," said Poston, who earned the second of his two PGA Tour wins last year. "We just did a good job of kind of keeping the ball in front of us.

"They just told me I only hit six fairways. I felt like I hit more than that or drove it better than that, but I think we just did a good job of keeping it in the right spots and not really getting out of play too many times."

Champ tallied four birdies and an eagle (No. 9) on the front nine but had just two birdies on the back nine to cap a bogey-free round.

"I just felt in control of really just my head, my emotions, my thoughts," said Champ, who has three career PGA Tour victories. "It was just kind of a free-spirited round. Drove it well, ironed it well, putted it very well."

Lanto Griffin and Davis Thompson ended the day tied for fourth at 64. Griffin collected an eagle (No. 15) and seven birdies -- including four birdies on his first seven holes. Thompson totaled seven birdies in his bogey-free day, including two birdies on his last three holes.

Luke List, Canada's Nick Taylor and Germany's Matti Schmid are tied for sixth at 65. Adam Long and J.J. Spaun share ninth place at 66.

--Field Level Media

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