Streb's Early 65 Holds Up at Wells Fargo Championship; McIlroy Five Back


At the end of Thursday, Robert Streb's early 7-under 65 kept the 28-year-old Oklahoman atop the leaderboard most of the day at the Wells Fargo Championship. The $7.1 million PGA Tour event teed off Thursday at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.

Streb, whose only victory came in last year's McGladrey Classic, began play at 8:10 a.m. on the 10th tee. After posting three birdies on his front nine, the Kansas State grad tacked on four more birdies on his home half for a flawless scorecard and a one-stroke lead over Patrick Reed and Kevin Chappell.

Streb told PGATour.com that he's had to adjust his schedule since the birth of his family's first child in February. His tie for 30th at last week's Players Championship was Streb's best finish in the past nine events. The month before the arrival of new daughter Catherine, Streb had finished T8, T17 and T10.

Noting that parenthood was "obviously an adjustment," Streb was encouraged after coping well with the tough Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass during the Players. "Everything is kind of trending the right way at the moment . . . Last week was the first time in a while I felt like I had putted pretty solid," he said. "Sometimes you get rolling."

Just two behind are Webb Simpson, Ricky Barnes, Michael Thompson, Stewart Cink, Chesson Hadley and Billy Hurley III.

Simpson, a North Carolinian who won the 2012 U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, was pleased with his play. "It was a good, solid day," the 29-year-old Raleigh native told PGATour.com. "I didn't make many mistakes. The one that cost me was 16. I just went through it wrong mentally and hit it in the water. Other than that, the card was clean and I played nicely."

Trailing Streb by three are South Korea's K.J. Choi, Sweden's Carl Pettersson and American Patrick Rodgers. Pettersson, a five-time Tour winner, attended college at North Carolina State and now lives in Raleigh.

Sharing 13th following 69s are Matt Jones, Kevin Streelman, J.B. Holmes, Hideki Matsuyama, Bill Lunde, Shawn Stefani, Brendan Steele, Steven Alker, Justin Thomas, Martin Flores, Russell Knox, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, Kevin Kisner, Will MacKenzie, George McNeill and Scott Gutschewski.

No. 1-ranked Rory McIlroy got off to a good start, a 2-under 34, on the front nine thanks to three birdies and a bogey. After posting three more birdies - and another bogey through 15 holes - the 26-year-old Northern Irishman ran into trouble at the par-3 17th when his tee shot found water and he took a double-bogey for a 2-under 70.

McIlroy won his first American title in 2010 at what was then called the Quail Hollow Championship. "For the most part I was satisfied," he said later during a TV interview. "I took advantage on some holes but made some mistakes. Hopefully I'll be close this week . . . I feel there are good scores out there."

Newly-crowned Players' champion Rickie Fowler isn't playing this week.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.