Hole-in-one puts Mediate clear

A hole-in-one helped Rocco Mediate claim a narrow lead in the first round of the Frys.com Open in California.
A hole-in-one helped Rocco Mediate claim a narrow lead in the first round of the Frys.com Open in California.
Mediate aced the third hole at CordeValle Golf Club in the third of the US PGA’s four Fall Series events and also had four birdies on the front nine to race to the turn in 29.
An exceptional score looked a distinct possibility, but the former US Open runner-up could only manage one more birdie on the inward half.
Nevertheless his seven-under-par 64 was still good enough to give him a one-shot lead over fellow Americans Bo van Pelt and Paul Goydos and Japan’s Ryuji Imada.
Goydos had not touched a club in two weeks after serving as an assistant to US captain Corey Pavin at the Ryder Cup.
Pavin’s side lost by a single point in a thrilling finish at Celtic Manor, but Goydos credited the experience with his superb opening round.
“It is really inspiring to be around those guys. I definitely think it helped my mental attitude toward the game,” he told www.pgatour.com.
“I don’t know that it helped my physical ability to play the game, but those guys… you are sitting in a room, in a sense, around 24 of the best 30 players in the world.
“That’s going to be good for your game, I got news for you.”
The only member of the US Ryder Cup team in the field, Rickie Fowler, carded a two-under-par 69 to be five shots off the pace heading into Friday’s second round.
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