SAN ANTONIO – Despite concerns about his neck, Sam Ryder delivered an exceptional performance at the Valero Texas Open on Thursday. He impressively needed only 21 putts to complete his round, carding a 9-under 63. This outstanding score propelled him to the top of the leaderboard, holding a one-stroke advantage over Keith Mitchell as they head into the Masters Tournament.
Ryder demonstrated remarkable precision on the greens, sinking putts on 11 of his final 12 holes. Seven of these were for birdie, including consecutive birdies on the last three holes. His impressive putting display included a 25-foot putt on the 16th hole and a 12-foot putt on the 17th. On the par-5 18th, he expertly placed his wedge shot within a foot of the hole, ensuring another birdie.
Ryder admitted he was unsure if his neck would allow him to compete after experiencing discomfort. He explained, “I was just trying to get a feel for how I could swing. I think it helped me stay focused today. I was just happy to be playing.” He had to skip the pro-am on Wednesday due to the neck issue.
Keith Mitchell also played exceptionally well, achieving a bogey-free round of 64. A highlight of his round was a remarkable 3-wood shot from 286 yards on the par-5 eighth hole, landing just 3 feet from the pin for an easy eagle.
Brian Harman, a former Open Championship winner, also had a strong start, scoring a 66.
Jordan Spieth was among a group of players who finished with a 67. His round included a challenging situation on the 17th hole where his drive landed on hardpan with a rock directly behind his ball. Despite the difficult lie, he made clean contact and placed his approach shot within 12 feet, successfully making the birdie putt.
Ryder has been consistent this season, making the cut in all nine tournaments he has entered. After resting his neck on Wednesday, he arrived at the course just three hours before his tee time, unsure if he could play.
A victory at the Texas Open would secure Ryder a spot in the Masters next week, a tournament he has yet to participate in. He commented, “I figured anything under par is usually pretty good out here. I wasn`t trying to be overly aggressive, just focused on playing a solid round, hitting fairways and as many greens as possible.”
Mitchell, who is not currently qualified for the Masters and hasn`t won on the PGA Tour in six years, is hoping to change that this week. He noted this is the third time this year he has started a tournament with a score of 65 or lower. He stated, “My game’s been trending. I’d like to put some solid rounds together. Hopefully, it’s this week. I feel like my scores have been showing at least in the first couple rounds lately that my game’s where it needs to be, and just going to try to stack `em all up this week.”
Describing his eagle, Mitchell attributed it to both skill and luck, explaining his strategy to land the ball near the slope and let it roll towards the pin. He acknowledged the difficulty of the pin position and the fortunate outcome of his shot.
Harman is aiming to break a streak of 15 tournaments without a top-10 finish and regain his form from his Open Championship victory in 2023. He acknowledged the inconsistency in his game, saying, “My good days have been good enough to win and my bad days have been not great. You’ve got to find a way on those days, and that’s usually a strong part of my game is gritting it out, figuring out a way to get it done.”
Max Homa is looking to avoid another missed cut after recently parting ways with his caddie, Joe Greiner, following a change in swing coaches last fall.
