THURSDAY ON THE LINKS | Professional golf results
AT&T BYRON NELSON
IRVING, TEXAS
Jordan Spieth finished off a 6-under 64 just before dark Thursday and was within a stroke of the lead when the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson was suspended. Sergio Garcia, Danny Lee and Johnson Wagner all shot 63. Lee and Wagner, like Spieth, were just able to complete the round that started 21/2 hours late after early morning rain. Dallas native Spieth, who just missed a long eagle chance on the par-5 16th that would have matched the lead, is playing only his second tournament since squandering a five-stroke lead at the Masters.
REGIONS TRADITION
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
Kenny Perry birdied the final hole for an 8-under 64 and a two-stroke lead in the Regions Tradition, the first of five PGA Tour Champions majors. Bernhard Langer bogeyed No. 18 for a 66 to fall into a second-place tie with Gene Sauers at Greystone Golf and Country Club, hosting its first Champions event since 2005.
KINGSMILL CHAMPIONSHIP
WILLIAMSBURG, VA.
Mika Miyazato had five birdies in a six-hole stretch and finished with a 6-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Kingsmill Championship. In tricky conditions on the rain-soaked River Course, the 26-year-old Japanese player closed her opening nine with the birdie run, dropped a stroke on the par-5 third, and rebounded with birdies on the par-4 sixth and eighth holes.
IRISH OPEN
STRAFFAN, IRELAND
Masters champion Danny Willett shot a 7-under 65 in the Irish Open to take a two-stroke lead over home favorite Rory McIlroy. Willett had eight birdies at the K Club and the Englishman dropped his only shot on the 17th when his par-saving putt stopped on the edge of the cup. McIlroy appeared poised to take a share of the lead until he turned an eagle opportunity on the par-3 14th hole into a three-putt bogey.
Associated Press