Piercy Off to Rousing Start at Shell Houston Open


Scott Piercy got off to a great start in pursuit of earning a spot in next week's Masters. The 36-year-old from Las fired a course-record-tying 9-under 63 to take a two-shot take the 18-hole lead at the Shell Houston Open. The $6.6 million PGA Tour event got underway Thursday at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas.

Starting on the 10th tee, the two-time Tour winner carded three birdies to make the turn in 3-under 33. On the home half, Piercy reeled off six birdies for a 30 to lead American J.B. Holmes and Czech-German player Alex Cejka, who each carded 65s.

Piercy has been known to shoot lights-out. In 2011 he recorded an 11-under 61 en route to nabbing his first title at the Reno-Taho Open. His second victory in the 2012 Canadian Open came after he opened with an 8-under 62 at Hamilton Golf Club in Ontario.

But Piercy hasn't visited the winner's circle since Canada. He had elbow surgery last year and took six months off before returning to competition. Piercy still harbored doubts before arriving in Houston, where he needs to win to qualify for a spot at Augusta National Golf Club.

"Everything went right," Piercy told reporters. "I hit the ball so good. It's been building. I kept hitting good shot after good shot. By the end, I was (only) trying to make birdies."

Piercy noted it's been a long time since he's played to his considerable abilities. "It's been two years since I put a club face on a ball like how I feel I should. I've kind of been faking it.

"I've had some good tournaments, but I haven't had a day or a week or weeks where I flushed it and really knew where my ball was going like today. This was awesome, it really was."

Yet despite his outstanding performance, Piercy knows there's a long way to go before he gets a clear grasp of what his immediate future holds. "It's the first round. If I'm sitting here Sunday, then I'll be super-excited. If I (keep playing) like I did today, I would say there's a pretty good chance of that."

Holmes looked like he was going to threaten Piercy's mark at the start of the round, which also began at the 10th hole. The 32-year-old Kentuckian eagled the par-4 10th and added four birdies to make the turn in 30. But the three-time Tour winner could only tack on two more birdies and a bogey on his inward half.

In his tune-up for the Masters, which he's won three times, Phil Mickelson posted a 6-under 66 to share fourth with fellow Americans Luke Guthrie, Charles Howell III and Shawn Stefani.

The 2011 Houston Open champion called his opening effort "a good round, a good start to the tournament. I got off to a quick start, birdieing three of the first four holes, and kept it going," Mickelson said. "The course is in pristine condition.

"The greens being soft are going to allow us to get more aggressive (aiming for) the pins and make some more birdies. The scores are going to be low. I'm just glad I was one of them," added Mickelson, who posted seven birdies and a lone bogey.

One stroke further down the leaderboard following 67s are Canada's Graham DeLaet, France's Victor Dubuisson, Spain's Sergio Garcia and Americans Hunter Mahan, Andrew Putnam, Alex Prugh and Matt Kuchar.

A dozen players started with 68s; the big group includes San Antonio native and four-time winner Patrick Reed. Dallas native Jordan Spieth opened with a 69.

Defending champion Matt Jones of Australia carded an even-par 72.

Jimmy Walker, who won last week's Valero Texas Open in his hometown of San Antonio, isn't playing in Houston.

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