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Hoffman takes lead in wind-swept Texas Open
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Charley Hoffman took advantage of calmer afternoon conditions to take the first-round lead in the wind-swept Texas Open, shooting a 5-under 67 on Thursday.

After wind gusts threatening 40 mph pummeled the morning starters, Hoffman faced steady 15 mph wind in the afternoon at TPC San Antonio. He had the lone bogey-free round, birdieing Nos. 2, 3, 9, 11 and 17.

The winner last year in Mexico at the start of the wraparound season, Hoffman has eight top-10 finishes in nine appearances in San Antonio. He was second in 2011 and third in 2013.

Aaron Baddeley was second after a 68. The Australian had a remarkable birdie on the par-4 17th when he snap-hooked his drive deep into thick woods, went back to the tee and holed out from 336 yards.

Max Homa had a 69, and Phil Mickelson and Ryan Palmer shot 70.

Mickelson, winless since the 2013 British Open, lost the clubhead off his 8-iron when it came flying off while he hit from a fairway bunker on the 12th hole.

With gusts reaching 38 mph early in the day, no one with a morning tee time managed to break par. Only Matt Kuchar and Cameron Percy matched it.



KIA CLASSIC

CARLSBAD (AP) — Mirim Lee birdied all four par-5 holes and finished with a bogey-free 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the Kia Classic.

Lee took the outright lead with an 8-foot putt on the par-5 fifth — her 14th hole in her afternoon round at Aviara — and hit a wedge to 3 feet to set up her final birdie on the par-5 eighth. The 24-year-old South Korean player won LPGA Tour events last year in Michigan and China.

Yani Tseng, winless in 70 starts since her victory in the 2012 event at nearby La Costa, had a 66. She finished with a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th after hitting a 150-yard shot from near a fairway bunker with the ball well above her feet — and water to the right of the green.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko was two strokes back at 67 in the final event before the first major of the season, the ANA Inspiration next week in Rancho Mirage.

The 17-year-old New Zealander has 10 straight top-10 finishes and has broken par in her last 25 LPGA Tour rounds and 28 worldwide. She has two worldwide victories this year, winning the tour’s Women’s Australian Open and the Ladies European Tour’s New Zealand Women’s Open in consecutive weeks.



TROPHEE HASSAN II

AGADIR, Morocco (AP) — Frenchman Adrien Saddier opened with an eagle and added five birdies in a 7-under round of 65 to lead Englishman Daniel Gaunt by one shot after the first round of the Trophee Hassan II on Thursday.

Gaunt could have gone back to the clubhouse level with Saddier, or better, but bogeyed the 18th after birdies on the three previous holes.

“I was very grateful to get an invite to play here. This place is just unbelievable,” said Saddier, who missed the cut at the South African Open in January. “It was a great start and I kept it going.”

Saddier hopes a strong showing at Hassan II can kickstart his career.

“If I could get a win it would change my schedule, as at the moment I’m playing on the Challenge Tour,” he said. “It’s almost my best round. I shot 64 in Qatar last year, which was 8 under.”