LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Tom Hoge carded a pair of eagles and four birdies in an eight-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead Thursday at the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.
The 33-year-old American, chasing his second win of the season, kickstarted his round with a 26-foot birdie on the sixth at TPC Summerlin.
He followed that up with a brilliant eagle two on the par-four seventh, holing out from 110 yards with a wedge from the fairway.
A run of three straight birdies on the ninth, 10th and 11th holes left him at six under before he then rolled in a monster 35-foot putt for his second eagle on the par-five 16th.
“It was an interesting day,” Hoge said afterwards. “I feel like I missed some very makeable birdie putts, but I holed some real nice long ones for eagle on 16 and some other long ones.
“Certainly happy with the score, but I’ve got to make a lot of birdies the next few days.”
Hoge leads by one from South Korea’s Kim Si-woo and Maverick McNealy.
Kim posted eight birdies and one bogey in his seven-under-par 64.
McNealy meanwhile swept into contention with a sensational performance over the back nine.