Lloyd: From Monday Qualifying to Thursday Lead in PGA Event

Joe Lloyd had just dropped a third consecutive birdie putt on the way to a share of the first-round lead at the Honda Classic and was talking to himself.

“I said, ‘This ain’t so hard after all,’ ” Lloyd, 28, said.

Getting into the tournament was harder.

Lloyd, playing in his first PGA Tour tournament, putted his way to a five-under-par 67 to tie Ray Floyd, Dan Halldorson and Jodie Mudd for the top spot in the $1-million event.

Lloyd gained a place in the 144-man field through Monday’s open qualifying round, one of the most difficult tests in professional golf. Only four places were available and 216 hopefuls teed it up. He shot 68.

The last man off the tee, Lloyd pointed to his putter as the key ingredient in his Thursday round. “Basically, I made everything I looked at,” he said. He had six birdies.

Curtis Strange and Paul Azinger were in a group a shot back at 68.