SAN ANTONIO — Despite neck discomfort before the tournament, Sam Ryder delivered a remarkable performance at the Valero Texas Open on Thursday. He impressively navigated the course, needing very few putts, and shot a 9-under 63. This places him at the top of the leaderboard, one stroke ahead of Keith Mitchell, in the last tournament before the prestigious Masters.
Ryder demonstrated exceptional putting accuracy, requiring only one putt for 11 of his final 12 holes. Seven of these were for birdies, including his last three holes. His impressive putts included a 25-foot putt on the 16th hole, a 12-footer on the 17th, and a tap-in birdie on the par-5 18th after a precise wedge shot.
`I wasn`t even sure I would be able to play today because of my neck,` Ryder admitted, having skipped Wednesday’s pro-am due to neck issues. `Focusing on just getting through each swing actually helped me stay composed. I`m just grateful to be out here playing.`
Keith Mitchell also had a strong start, achieving a bogey-free 64 in the morning. His round was highlighted by an impressive 3-wood shot from 286 yards on the par-5 eighth hole, which landed within 3 feet of the pin, setting up an easy eagle.
Brian Harman, a past Open Championship winner, also performed well, scoring a 66.
Jordan Spieth was among a group at 67. His round included a memorable moment on the 17th hole where his drive landed near a rock. Despite the challenging lie, he made solid contact, placed the ball within 12 feet, and made the subsequent birdie putt.
Ryder has consistently made the cut in all nine tournaments this year. He dedicated Wednesday to resting his neck and arrived at the course just three hours before his tee time on Thursday to assess his ability to play.
A victory for Ryder this week could secure him a spot at the Masters next week, a feat he is yet to achieve in his PGA Tour career.
`I thought anything under par would be a decent score out here,` Ryder mentioned. `I didn`t aim to be overly aggressive; my focus was on playing a steady round, hitting fairways and greens as consistently as possible.`
Mitchell, who is also not currently qualified for the Masters and hasn`t won on the PGA Tour in six years, is aiming for a win this week. This is his third time this year opening a tournament with a score of 65 or lower, and he hopes to maintain his form throughout the tournament.
`My overall game feels like it’s improving,` Mitchell stated. `I need to put together a few consistent rounds. Hopefully, this is the week. My scores in the initial rounds show my game is where it needs to be, and I’m focused on building on that this week.`
Reflecting on his eagle, Mitchell described it as a mix of skill and luck.
`I aimed to hit it far enough to reach the green and let it roll down the slope towards the pin,` Mitchell explained. `Given the pin`s challenging position and the difficulty around the green, getting it that close was fortunate, even though I aimed in that direction.`
Harman is looking to end a streak of 15 tournaments without a top-10 finish dating back to June. Since his Open Championship victory in 2023, he has only achieved two top-10 finishes and is in danger of dropping out of the world`s top 50.
`On my good days, I feel capable of winning, but my bad days haven`t been up to par,` Harman commented. `The key is to perform even on those tougher days, which is usually a strength of mine—persevering and finding a way to compete effectively.`
Meanwhile, Max Homa is facing the possibility of another missed cut, extending his recent slump. He has recently changed caddies, parting ways with Joe Greiner, following a change in swing coaches last fall.
