Record-Tying 61s for Tway, Slocum

Bob Tway had seven consecutive birdies during a nine-under-par 61 Thursday and was tied with Heath Slocum for the lead after the first round of the Texas Open.

They matched the course record at the LaCantera Golf Club north of San Antonio set by Garrett Willis last year.

Tway was eight under after a birdie on the 527-yard, par-five 14th, but he bogeyed the next hole. He then birdied 16 with a 15-foot putt and 18 by making a 20-footer.

“You know on a calm day you better shoot a good round because a lot of people are going to,” said Tway, whose victory in the Bell Canadian Open earlier this month was his first since 1995.

The course was softened by recent rains, and there was very little wind, so low scores were the order of the day for most of the 141 players in the field. All but 34 finished at par or better.

Slocum played a bogey-free round marked by several bursts of birdies. He got to nine under on the par-four 16th before ending his round with two pars.

Aaron Baddeley, who had seven birdies in a span of eight holes, finished with a 62.

Tom Byrum, Cameron Beckman, Cliff Kresge and Rory Sabbatini shot 63s.

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Jason Dufner, Shane Bertsch and James Oh all shot six-under 65s to share the first-round lead of the Nationwide Tour’s $450,000 Mark Christopher Charity Classic at Empire Lakes Golf Course in Rancho Cucamonga.

They lead Todd Gleason and Joe Ogilvie by one stroke, with 11 players two shots behind, including Casey Martin.