Hanson Sets Pace in Byron Nelson Championship; Spieth Five Back


Peter Hanson got off to a rousing start in the Byron Nelson Championship. The 36-year-old Swede fired a 5-under 65 to take the opening-round lead in the $6.9 million PGA Tour event, which started Thursday at TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas.

Hanson could have gone even lower. He had five birdies on the front nine, making the turn in 5-under 30, before coming home with a bogey and a birdie on the last.

Hanson told reporters that he's been dealing with a back problem that's hindered his swing. "I know all about what Tiger (Woods) is going through."

In nine starts this season, he's had three top-25 finishes but missed three cuts. Hanson noted that after missing the cut in the Masters he went home to Orlando to work on his game. "I'm trying to play a little more relaxed," he said. "I think I've been a little bit tense when I've been out there, trying to overdo things."

One shot behind are Australian Marc Leishman and American veteran David Duval, a 13-time Tour winner whose last title came in the 2001 British Open.

The 42-year-old Duval could use another victory; for years the former No. 1 has been playing on sponsors' exemptions and announced last year that he wouldn't be asking for such privileges following the 2014 season. Duval's 66 Thursday was his lowest competitive score since a third-round 64 in the 2011 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Sharing fourth after 67s are Americans Ryan Palmer, Boo Weekley and John Huh, South African Tyrone VanAswegen and Germans Alex Cejka and Martin Kaymer.

Kaymer, who won for the first time since the WGC-HSBC Champions in 2011 in last week's Players Championship, had four birdies and a bogey.

Defending champion Sang-Moon Bae got off to a rocky start with a wild 3-over 73 that included five birdies, six bogeys and a double on the par-4 eighth hole.

Local favorite Jordan Spieth is five strokes behind Hanson after shooting an even-par 70. The 20-year-old Dallas native had three birdies, a bogey and a double on the par-4 third.

Spieth, currently ranked eighth in the world, said the course was set up tough for a first round in the Byron Nelson. "Pins were extremely difficult for a Thursday," he said. "They were on some of the hardest locations on most of the holes, so they were hard to get to.

"I really feel like I played solid golf today except for those two swings - maybe hit the fairway on 3, I post 2-under, which would be right in it."

The PGA Tour's 2013 Rookie of the Year hopes for better tallies in the next few days. "Once I hit a few more fairways, my iron game will be there," Spieth said. "Hopefully (I'll) get back on track and make a run."

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