Kevin Streelman credited some technological support for a 7-under-par 64 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Valspar Championship on Thursday in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Seeking his first win on the PGA Tour in nearly 10 years, the 45-year-old Streelman sank three birdies on the back nine to start his day, then added four more over his second half in a bogey-free round at Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course.
Kevin Roy bested Streelman with eight birdies but stumbled on the seventh and 16th holes with a pair of bogeys, finishing one shot behind the leader at 65.
Streelman cited his “cool little new ball marker” as aiding his performance.
“(It) can kind of give you some visual cues that I think is pretty helpful,” he said. “I was using that today, which I think kind of helped as well. But, yeah, it was one of those (days when I) just felt great and I saw the lines and was rolling it great and was able to drop some putts.”
Streelman first used the new contraption in the pro-am on Tuesday.
“Kind of sticks into the ground,” he said, “so it doesn’t move, obviously, from its location, but can you spin the top where the line is and then you kind of get back and you see where it looks good and then you can kind of put your line in (coordination) with that line and so you know it’s kind of what you were seeing from behind. So very simple. …
“I went to the rules guys and said, ‘Is this … legal?’ And they called USGA and said, ‘Yeah,’ so I was like, ‘All right.’ I putted well with it.”
Roy said of his putter, “It was definitely hot. I definitely rolled in a couple long ones, but I think the key was I made the shorter ones that you kind of have to make around here. Once I saw one of the longer ones go in, I kind of calmed down a little bit.
“I had great pace all day on the greens, so never really had any super stressed out par saves.”
Peter Malnati, Canada’s Adam Svensson and China’s Carl Yuan are tied for third at 66. Malnati struggled out of the gate with a pair of bogeys on the front nine, then recovered with five of his seven birdies on the back nine.
Seven players are tied for sixth at 67, while Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele are among those tied for 13th after first-round 68s.
Jordan Spieth (69) is tied for 28th, while Brian Harman (70) is tied with several others in 48th.
–Field Level Media
