Times wires
Thursday, June 9, 2011
MEMPHIS — David Mathis is leading a PGA Tour event for the first time, and pressure is not one of his concerns.
His focus is on three more days of golf.
Mathis matched his best round on the PGA Tour, shooting 5-under 65 Thursday to grab the lead at the St. Jude Classic. The 37-year-old North Carolina native is in his only second year on the tour and had to play his way back by finishing 13th on the Nationwide Tour money list last year.
He jumped to the top of the leaderboard late in the first round, finishing with six birdies and one late bogey. He hadn't shot 65 on tour since 2009 when he went that low three times.
"I don't feel stressed or uncomfortable in the position," Mathis said. "I know there's tons of golf left. I'm just trying to keep poise about me I guess I would say while I play and recognize that, 'Hey, there's lots of holes to play between now and Sunday,' and so just take it for what it is."
Robert Karlsson, who lost a four-hole playoff here a year ago, shot 66 and was tied with John Merrick, Kris Blanks, Colt Knost and Kevin Kisner.
Retief Goosen and Boo Weekley were among a group with 68s. Defending champion Lee Westwood opened with 69.
Mathis credited a visit with his coach, Patrick Kelley, this week for helping straighten out his line when putting. He noticed the difference almost immediately when he started on the back nine and rolled in a 9-footer to save par.
LPGA: Mindy Kim shot a career-low 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the State Farm Classic in Springfield, Ill.
Sarah Kemp and Jiyai Shin were tied for second at 6 under at the Panther Creek Country Club. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome, last week's winner at the ShopRite Classic, birdied the final hole to finish at 67 and in a tie for fourth with Yani Tseng and Juli Inkster.
Kim's round featured birdies on Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 before bogey on the par-4 ninth for 32 on the front nine. She matched it on the back stretch with birdies on 11, 12, 14 and 17.
Kim, who has three top-10 finishes this year, has the lead at an LPGA event for the first time, and she was nervous.
"I did not expect this at all," she said. "I hit the ball great today. I hit everything close. I think that's what made (the round)."
Lincicome, who won for the first time in two years last week, shot 4-under 32 on the back nine. She started the round with two birdies but bogeyed No. 9 before turning it up for the final nine holes.
Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer were in a large group at 4 under, and defending champion Cristie Kerr was 2 under. Michelle Wie was at par 72.