A superb game with the irons puts Bhatia (63) in the lead and a good start for McIlroy

American Akshay Bhatiathanks to his knowledge of the course and a great day in his irons, he shot a 63 stroke, 9 under par on Thursday, giving him a three point lead in Valero Texas Open and taking a small step toward a potential trip to Masters. The Texas Open is the last chance for tournament players to qualify for National Augusta.

Bhatia, 22 years old and left-handed, won the Barracuda Championship last summer, but it was played the same week as the British Open and did not extend an invitation to the Masters. “This is my third time here. There aren’t many golf courses on the tour that I’ve played for the third time,” Bhatia said. “I played very well. It was a good day,” he added.

Brendon Todd birdied four of his last five holes for a 66 and joins Justin Lower, who played in the morning. Not yet at the Masters. And it’s not a bad day for Rory McIlroy (69), fresh off a visit with his swing coach Butch Harmon in Las Vegas and two days of scouting at Augusta National. All before his last tournament against the only ‘major’ that kept him from the Grand Slam race. He also played bogey-free, but managed just three birdies. In the last nine holes at the TPC in San Antonio he hasn’t birdied two par 5s. He is tied for 8th.

“I think it’s the first round I’ve played without a bogey in a long time,” McIlroy said. “My game over the last few months has been a little choppy, so to get out there and play a solid round of golf in some pretty tough conditions makes me happy with it.”

Jordan Spieth suffered for a 73. “I was playing better than what the card said and it didn’t look like it,” the Texan said. Max Homa and Cognizant Classic winner Austin Eckroat scored a 68.