Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre maintained his sturdy kind with a spherical of 64 for a four-shot midway lead on the Texas Open in San Antonio.
MacIntyre had 4 birdies in his final 5 holes along with his taking part in accomplice and Ryder Cup team-mate Ludwig Aberg of Sweden his nearest challenger.
Beginning on the again 9, the world quantity 11 put down a marker with an eight-foot eagle putt on the par-five 14th and adopted that up with birdies at his subsequent two holes.
The one blemish for the 29-year-old was a bogey on the seventeenth earlier than he regrouped to complete with a flourish for a confidence enhance forward of the Masters which begins in Augusta on Thursday.
“I have been driving the ball good,” stated the Scot. “I’ve received a brand new driver within the bag. Iron play as we speak was distinctive I might say.
“I hit a pure wedge shot on 17, I believed it was completely dynamite there. Method play, hitting the quantity, hitting the targets. Bought to complete off with good placing. Total, simply actually strong.
“I did not play right here final yr, simply went straight into Augusta. This was an adjustment for that purpose. I wished to be sharp – or sharper – going into Augusta.”
Aberg had 4 birdies over his first 14 holes earlier than an eagle on the sixth, however he completed with a bogey.
“For me, golf is about placing your self in conditions the place you may win tournaments,” he stated.
“I really feel like I have not actually carried out that very properly the final 12 months or so, however beginning to see it now, which has been very nice. Beginning to get again into that stage, which is very nice for me to see. So I am wanting ahead to at least one extra shot at it this week.”
Amongst these one shot again are six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau who’s chasing a primary win since April 2023 and who wants a win to be invited to the Masters.
The 36-year-old American completed his spherical strongly with an eagle putt on the 18th.
“It was good to make an eagle on the final,” he stated. “I hit a very good drive, pushed my second shot somewhat, received fortunate, lined the water and was in a position to roll that one in. Typically these are the small little breaks that you could be in direction of the highest of the leaderboard.”
