SAN ANTONIO – Despite concerns about his neck, Sam Ryder delivered a remarkable performance at the Valero Texas Open on Thursday. He impressively navigated the course, needing very few putts, to shoot a 9-under 63. This score gives him a one-stroke advantage over Keith Mitchell as they head into the weekend of the tournament, the last event before the prestigious Masters.
Ryder demonstrated incredible skill on the greens, requiring only one putt for 11 of his final 12 holes. Seven of these were for birdies, including his last three holes. His impressive putting display featured a 25-foot putt on the 16th hole, a 12-footer on the 17th, and a precise wedge shot to within a foot of the pin on the par-5 18th at TPC San Antonio.
“I was simply trying to find a comfortable swing,” Ryder explained. He had to skip the pro-am on Wednesday due to discomfort in his neck. “I believe it helped me focus and stay composed today. I`m just grateful to be playing.”
Keith Mitchell also had a strong start, carding a bogey-free 64 in the morning. His round was highlighted by an impressive 3-wood shot from 286 yards on the par-5 eighth hole, which landed within three feet of the hole for an easy eagle.
Brian Harman, a former Open Championship winner, also played well, finishing with a 66.
Jordan Spieth was among a group of players at 67. His round included a challenging situation on the 17th hole where his drive landed on a hard surface with a rock directly behind his ball. Despite this, he made clean contact, hit the ball to within 12 feet, and successfully made the birdie putt.
Ryder has been consistent this year, making the cut in all nine tournaments he has entered. After resting his neck injury in his room on Wednesday, he arrived at the course just three hours before his tee time on Thursday to assess his ability to play.
A victory at the Texas Open could secure Ryder a spot in the Masters next week, a feat he has not yet achieved in his PGA Tour career.
“I thought anything under par would be a decent score out here,” Ryder commented. “I didn`t plan to be overly aggressive. My goal was just to play consistently, hit fairways, and reach as many greens in regulation as possible.”
Mitchell is also seeking a Masters invitation and is looking for his first PGA Tour win in six years. This is the third time this year he has started a tournament with a score of 65 or lower. His challenge has been maintaining that momentum throughout the entire tournament.
“My game has been improving,” Mitchell stated. “I need to put together several solid rounds. Hopefully, this is the week. My scores in the initial rounds recently show that my game is where it needs to be, and I`m focused on building on that this week.”
Regarding his eagle, Mitchell described it as a combination of skill and luck.
“I aimed to hit it well enough to clear the front edge of the green and let it roll towards the slope,” Mitchell explained. “That pin position is difficult even with a wedge, and challenging from around the green. While I aimed for that general area, the fact that it ended up so close to the hole was quite fortunate.”
Harman is aiming to break a streak of 15 tournaments without a top-10 finish, dating back to June. He has only two top-10 finishes since his Open Championship victory at Hoylake in 2023 and is in danger of dropping out of the world`s top 50.
“On my good days, I feel capable of winning, but my bad days haven`t been great,” Harman acknowledged. “I need to find consistency on those off days, which is usually a strength of my game – grinding it out and finding a way to get it done.”
Meanwhile, Max Homa is in danger of missing another cut and extending his recent struggles. He announced a change in caddie, parting ways with Joe Greiner, following a change in swing coach last fall.
Adrian Whitmore 
Benedict Kingsley