Hur ahead at Texas Shootout

Mi Jung Hur carded a five-under-par 66 to take a one-shot lead at the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout on Thursday.
Hur is closely followed by Gerina Piller, Eun-Hee Ji and So Yeon Ryu, who all sit in a tie for second after firing four-under-par 67s.
Jenny Shin, Sei Young Kim, Amy Yang and Catriona Matthew are two strokes off the lead in a tie for fifth.
World number three Lexi Thompson struggled as she recorded a four-over-par 75, while defending champion Inbee Park skipped the event as she is recovering from a thumb injury.
Hur, who finished in a season-high tie for sixth at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic last week, was in sensational form on her front nine as she made four consecutive birdies from the 15th to 18th. The South Korean looked on track to continue her excellent run of form on her back nine as she began with a birdie at the first, but she committed her lone blunder of the round at the fifth, where she registered a bogey.
She did atone for her mistake, though, as she made her sixth birdie of the round at the eighth, which also gave her the outright lead.
Piller, who has finished in the top 10 in her last three events – the Kia Classic, ANA Inspiration and Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic – began her campaign on a quiet note as she made a lone birdie on her front nine.
It was a whole different story on the back nine, though, as she began with a bogey at the first before making her charge with four birdies in the space of her next seven holes.
Ji kicked off her round with a trio of birdies on the front nine before making consecutive birdies at the 11th and 12th. She would have joined Hur at the summit of the leaderboard had she not stumbled at the final hole, where she recorded a bogey.
Ryu was in great form on Thursday as she made a duo of birdies on the front nine to get off to a solid start. The 25-year-old continued to impress on the back as she made two more birdies to complete a bogey-free round.
Thompson had a day to forget as she made one birdie, three bogeys and a double bogey at the par-four ninth during her round of 75.
Latest
-
News
Golfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European Tour
DP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
News
Rory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.
-
The Open
R&A confirms LIV Golf Series players will be allowed to compete at Open
The 150th Open Championship will get underway at St Andrews in three weeks’ time.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick turns to other major winners for advice on dealing with fame
Fitzpatrick won the US Open on Sunday.
-
News
Brooks Koepka set to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series
Koepka’s brother Chase played in the opening event at Centurion Club earlier this month.
-
US Open
Gary Player urges Matt Fitzpatrick to avoid ‘poison’ of modern-day coaching
Player tells US Open champion Fitzpatrick to learn from mistakes of recent major winners, saying: “The teaching today is the worst it has ever been.”
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie Billy Foster ready for ‘long party’ after US Open win
Foster won his first major after a 40-year career which includes spells working for the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick backed to become a dominant force after winning first major
The Englishman claimed his first major title at Brookline.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick: A Blade with plenty of support who can really cut it
The Sheffield golfer landed his first major – and first professional win in America – at Brookline on Sunday.