Oct 10, 2008 - 7:55 AM
0 shoutsSAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- Nathan Green sits atop the leaderboard entering the second round of the Texas Open on Friday.
Green registered nine birdies and carded a career best 8-under-par 62 on Thursday to grab the lead after the opening round of the $4.5 million event.
The 33-year-old Australian put himself in a great position to earn his first Tour win by carding birdies on six of his first 10 holes. Green fired five consecutive birdies from Nos. 6-10.
Green, whose best finish on the Tour this season was third at the Honda Classic, recorded consecutive birdies on the par-3 No. 13 and par-5 No. 14.
He added a birdie on No. 16 before his lone misstep came when he bogeyed the par-3 17th.
But Green capped the day by paring the final hole and holds a two-stroke lead over Olin Browne and Paul Claxton (64). Starting on the back nine, Browne played a flawless round and finished with six birdies.
Claxton also played an error-free round and birdied his final two holes to move into a tie for second.
Meanwhile, Greg Kraft is among six players tied for fourth. The 44-year-old finished the day with consecutive birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 18 to join Patrick Sheehan, Jason Gore, Nick O'Hern, Tim Herron and Chad Collins at 65.
One of the oldest stops on the PGA Tour, the Texas Open is the third of seven Fall Series events on the schedule. The event will move to a spring date next season and be a part of a three-event tour through the Lone Star state.
Defending champion Justin Leonard is among a slew of players tied for 71st at even-par 70. A Texas native, Leonard defeated Jesper Parnevik on the third hole of a playoff here in 2007.
First prize is $810,000.
