Golf: David Mathis takes lead on day one at Travelers Championship

Published on 22/06/2012 00:54

David Mathis was in the lead on six under after carding a 64 on day one of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.

The American birdied five holes and eagled and bogeyed once to take a one-shot lead over four players. Australian Nathan Green and Will Claxton of the United States, along with Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson, all carded 65s at the TPC River Highlands. American Kevin Kisner was also on 65 with two holes to play.

It was Mathis who topped the leaderboard, however and he came firing out of the traps. The 38-year-old, who missed the cut at this year’s US Open in his only major appearance to date, birdied the tenth – his first hole – eagled the 11th and picked up shots on three of his next four holes. Although he bogeyed the 18th, he birdied the par-four third to take the outright lead.

England’s Gary Christian finished on four under along with American Jerry Kelly, while Masters winner Bubba Watson was a shot further back on three under at the turn. Ian Poulter and recently-crowned US Open champion Webb Simpson both carded two-under-par 68s, with Irishman Padraig Harrington and winner of the 2010 Open Louis Oosthuizen among several players on one under.