Solid start for Rico Hoey

Filipino-American Rico Hoey stayed in contention at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on Thursday, firing a three-under-par 68 at Memorial Park Golf Course. The 30-year-old, who proudly carries the Philippine flag on the PGA Tour, began steadily with seven straight pars before catching fire with birdies on Nos. 8, 9 and 10 to move to three-under. A dropped shot on the 14th briefly slowed him, but Hoey bounced back with a precise birdie on 16, finishing the round tied for 11th.

Englishman Paul Waring set the early pace with a bogey-free 7-under 63, one stroke ahead of 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland, who posted 64. Both players are overcoming significant personal challenges: Woodland had brain surgery in September 2023 to remove a lesion and recently shared his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, calling a Golf Channel interview “a thousand pounds lighter.” Waring, meanwhile, spent five months sidelined last year due to a shoulder injury, forcing him to miss several events, including The Open Championship.

Waring’s round was highlighted by a risky par-save on the par-5 eighth, where his second shot landed in thick grass near a small creek. Playing aggressively, he blasted the ball to 20 feet from the pin and converted a two-putt par, maintaining his bogey-free streak. “This week, a lot tidier,” Waring said. “I holed over 160 feet of putts today, which gives a massive advantage.”

Woodland’s round also included moments of resilience. After a bogey on the par-3 seventh, he recovered with a long pitch for birdie on the par-5 eighth and a 10-foot birdie putt to close his round at 64, keeping him in striking distance of the lead.

Other early movers included Sam Burns, Michael Brennan, and Tom Hoge at 65, while Marco Penge, who challenged at last week’s Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course, joined a large group at 66. Brooks Koepka struggled, carding 75 after triple bogeys on Nos. 7, 9 and 10, including shots into water and bunkers.

With this week serving as the final chance for players to crack the top 50 in the world rankings for a Masters invitation, the stakes are high. Pierceson Coody, currently No. 51, opened with 70 and will need a strong Friday to remain in contention. For Waring, a victory would not only secure his first PGA TOUR title since returning from injury but also grant him a coveted Masters berth. “All the work has been about getting myself back to this place,” Waring said. “Hopefully, I can build on this today and see how the week goes.”