Steele Out of the Gate Fast at Travelers Championship


Brendan Steele flirted with a 59 before ending up with an 8-under 62 for a one-stroke lead in the Travelers Championship. The $6.2 million PGA Tour event began Thursday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

The 31-year-old Californian, a one-time Tour winner in the 2011 Valero Texas Open, holed out from 129 yards on the par-4 first for an eagle before racking up three more birdies for a 5-under 30 on the front nine.

Though he added three more birdies, Steele couldn't string together more sub-par holes down the stretch and settled for a 62, two strokes from the course record, set in 2011 by then-amateur Patrick Cantlay.

Steele admitted later that the magical 59 crept into his thoughts three-quarters of the way through the round. "On 14, I started to think 59," said Steele, whose final birdies of the day came on Nos. 11, 12 and 13, "which is probably why I slowed down a little bit."

A shot behind Steele are Bud Cauley and Ryan Moore, while two back are Chad Campbell, Joe Durant, Jeff Maggert, Scott Langley and Eric Axley.

Doug LaBelle, South Korea's K.J. Choi, defending champion Ken Duke, Sergio Garcia, Brandt Snedeker, Brooks Koepka and Canada's Brad Fritsch carded 65s to share ninth. Duke won last year after sinking a birdie putt on the first playoff hole, beating Chris Stroud.

Two-time Masters champion, Bubba Watson, who won the Travelers for his first Tour title in 2010, posted a 67. Watson, winner of his second green jacket in April, is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 3 in the world.

Erik Compton, the two-time heart-transplant recipient who finished tied for second with Rickie Fowler behind Kaymer, opened with a 74. Kaymer and Fowler aren't playing this week.

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