LOS CABOS, Mexico (AP) 鈥� Kevin Streelman, Tom Whitney and Rico Hoey each shot 5-under 67 in windy conditions Thursday to share the first-round lead in the World Wide Technology Championship.
Winless on the PGA Tour since 2014, the 46-year-old Streelman opened his afternoon round at Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante with an eagle and a birdie.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tiring golf course, especially when it blows this hard out here,鈥� Streelman said. 鈥淵ou have holes you need to take care of, with No. 1 being one of them. It鈥檚 kind of a downwind par 5, and 18 is a similar fashion. But then you turn into the wind.鈥�
Whitney birdied the first three holes.
鈥淪tarting the day on this golf course you鈥檙e thinking, `I need to get it to 6, 7, 8,'鈥� Whitney said. 鈥淭hen the wind starts blowing and you kind of temper those expectations. I鈥檓 very pleased with 5 under.鈥�
Defending champion Erik van Rooyen was a stroke back at 68 with Taylor Montgomery, Max Greyserman, Nate Lashley, Austin Eckroat, Kelly Kraft and Ryan McCormick.
鈥淐ompletely different test than what we had last year,鈥� van Rooyen said. 鈥淭here was maybe one club of wind last year.鈥�
Nico Echavarria of Colombia, the Zozo Championship winner in Japan in his last start, opened with a 69.
鈥淚t was a good round, good start, bogey-free," Echavarria said. 鈥淎 lot of wind for the morning.鈥�
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