Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Trevor Murphy fired an 8-under 63 on Thursday
to take the lead during the suspended first round of the Nationwide Children's
Hospital Invitational.
Heavy storms ravaged The OSU Golf Club mid-afternoon Thursday and play was
stopped at 3:36 p.m. ET. Half of the field had yet to complete round one and
one hour later, after water puddled on the course, the round was suspended.
The first round will resume at 7:30 a.m. Friday.
James Sacheck shot a 5-under 66 and is second.
Michael Putnam, Steve Allan and Aron Price each posted rounds of 4-under 67 in
round one. They were joined in a tie for third with Robert Streb, who
completed seven holes of his opening round.
It was not a pristine round from Murphy on Thursday. He hit only five
fairways, but needed only 23 putts. He played one hole down the wrong fairway
on purpose, hit the flagstick with an 8-iron approach, holed out from a bunker
and chipped in for birdie at the last.
"It was just a strange day. I've shot even or over-par and hit it better than
I did today," said Murphy. "I missed it in the right spots off the tee where I
could hit a shot around some trees and get it up on the green and make a putt.
My wedges were great. When I did hit the fairway I hit it pretty close. And
putting, I made so many putts."
Murphy is making only his second start of 2012 on the Web.com Tour. He lost
his card last year when he finished 102nd on the money list.
"Last year I had a great opportunity to play out here and I wasn't playing
well," admitted Murphy. "I wasn't enjoying it like I should have."
Casey Wittenberg, who is second on the tour's money list, shot a 3-under 68
and is tied for seventh with Peter Lonard, Doug LaBelle II, Jerod Turner,
Fernando Mechereffe and Sam Saunders. Bubba Dickerson is 3-under and made the
turn when the horn sounded.
NOTES: Murphy's 63 matched the tournament record set by Jonathan Kaye in the
opening round last year, then equaled by Sacheck in the third round...This is
the fourth straight year that thunderstorms have impacted play.
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