Saturday 2 August 2014 07:51, UK
Nick Watney carded nine birdies to take a two-point lead after the first round of the Barracuda Championship in Reno.
Watney made the most of the Modified Stableford scoring format to score 18 points and a flying start as he looks for a first PGA Tour win since The Barclays in 2012.
Australia's Geoff Ogilvy and New Zealand's Tim Wilkinson were tied for second on 16 points and Scotland's Martin Laird and American Chad Campbell shared fourth on 13 points at Montreux Golf and Country Club.
There is a four-way tie for sixth between Kevin Chappell, John Huh, John Rollins and Wes Roach at 12 points.
Watney started strongly with birdies at the second and fourth, and he then closed out the front nine with birdies at eight and nine.
He made it three birdies in a row at the 10th, and he birdied three straight from the 13th before capping his round with his ninth birdie of the day at the last.
"I played really well today. When I did miss a couple of greens, I missed a few greens early and chipped to within tap-ins and hit some really nice wedges. But that was the result of good driving," Watney said.
