Every leads Texas Open with course record

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SAN ANTONIO, April 19 (UPI) -- Matt Every produced a potential career breakthrough round Thursday by setting the course record and taking a three-shot lead after 18 holes at the Texas Open.

Every shot a 9-under 63 at the TPC-San Antonio course and only two players could finish any closer than five shots of the leader.

Every has missed the cut five times in his first 10 tournaments this year. He has three Top 10 finishes, however, and wound up eighth last week at the RBC Heritage.

Other than the courses that hosted major championships, the TPC-San Antonio layout was the fourth- toughest on the PGA Tour last year. Nevertheless, Every ignored the gusting winds to birdie half the holes on the course.

Hunter Haas was second at 66 and former British Open champion Ben Curtis was alone in third with a 67. The group at 68 included Fredrik Jacobson, Cameron Beckman, Jason Gore, Troy Matteson and Derek Lamely.

Matt Kuchar, who at No. 15 is the highest ranked player in the world competing here this week, shot a 70. U.S. Amateur champion Kelly Kraft, playing his first competitive round as a professional, had a 71.

This tournament made headlines last year when Kevin Na took a 16 on the par-4 ninth hole. Na made a par on that hole Thursday and left a souvenir behind.

After hitting his drive at the ninth on Thursday he reached into his golf bag and pulled out the shirt he was wearing last year when he recorded the 16. He placed the shirt on a hanger, walked into the woods that gave him so much trouble a year ago and hung the shirt on a tree limb.

Na wound up with a 79 in the opening round and then withdrew from the tournament.