Robert Streb posts early 65, holds off Patrick Reed, Kevin Chappell by stroke

Robert Streb went out Thursday morning and shot a low score at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club, and it stood up. But only barely.

Streb, an Oklahoma native who has one PGA Tour victory, took the first-round lead with a 7-under-par 65 on what was a dry, cool morning.

Conditions didn’t change much in the afternoon and several players are stacked up right behind Streb. Patrick Reed and Kevin Chappell are a stroke back after they each shot 66. Six players are tied for fourth at 6 under, including Charlotte’s Webb Simpson, Ricky Barnes, Michael Thompson, Stuart Cink, Raleigh’s Chesson Hadley and Billy Hurley III.

Streb won last fall’s McGladrey Classic at Sea Island, Ga., in a playoff against Will MacKenzie and Charlotte resident Brendon de Jonge. He thinks that victory might help him this week at Quail Hollow.

“You don’t have to play perfect,” said Streb, who shot a bogey-free round Thursday. “Sometimes to get that first win, you feel like you have to have a perfect week and you don’t. You just try and be patient and see if you can give yourself a chance on Sunday.”

Streb was happy with his putting Thursday. His strokes-gained putting was 2.31, best in the field. He took just 26 putts to complete his round.

“You keep it going the right way and see a few go in,” he said. “Sometimes you get rolling.”

Worth mentioning

▪ Chappell was also pleased with his putting, but for a different reason. While waiting for his caddie to arrive on the practice green Monday, Chappell grabbed a demo putter.

“I took a putter and was hitting putts with it and chatting with someone and the ball was going in,” said Chappell, who decided to use it during that day’s pro-am.

“I made like a 30-footer on the first hole and was like, ‘What was that?’ I just kind of putted better than average that day and got better as the week went on.”

Chappell is using the putter for the tournament, but he didn’t need it on the par-5 seventh hole, where he chipped in from 37 feet for an eagle.

▪ Simpson’s 67 was among the best rounds he’s played at Quail Hollow. His only mistake was a second shot he hit into the water on the 16th hole, leading to a bogey. Other than that, he was satisified.

“I was finally able to treat it like my home course,” said Simpson, who is a Quail Hollow member.

Simpson was reminded during a post-round interview that his caddie, Paul Tesori, has one more Wells Fargo victory than he does. Tesori was on Sean O’Hair’s bag in 2009 when O’Hair won.

“It’s my home course, but (Tesori) has won here,” said Simpson. “I tell him to leave me alone, but he’s always bringing that win up with Sean O’Hair.”

▪ Rory McIlroy was positioned to be among the leaders until he got to the par-3 17th, where he hit his tee shot into the lake. That led to a double bogey and McIlroy finished with a 70.

▪ The day started brilliantly for Phil Mickelson. But after consecutive birdies on the first three holes, Mickelson cooled off, finishing with a 1-under 71.

“I turned a 66 into a 71,” said Mickelson. “I played 11 holes really well. I played seven holes very poorly.”

Mickelson, who began on No. 10, was cruising along at 3 under until he played the 18th hole, where he took a double bogey after his drive went into the creek on the left side of the fairway. He then bogeyed the first and second holes, and all of a sudden he was 1 over.

“Fortunately I didn’t shoot myself out of the tournament,” said Mickelson, who hasn’t won at Quail Hollow in 11 previous tries. “I’ve just got to come out and put up a 66 or 65 – that I could have had (Thursday).”

▪ J.B. Holmes figures he has a good feel for this tournament.

Last year’s champion sits at 3 under after the first day and he’s not too concerned about the leader at 7 under.

“I’m in a good spot,” Holmes said. “Every event someone will shoot 7, 8 under in the first round. (Friday) could be 7 again, or might be 8 or 9.

“Shoot 3 under all four days (and) I think depending on the weather and the wind, that’s going to be a pretty good score.”

Holmes, a big hitter off the tee, said the course played longer because of the wind Thursday. He usually hits an 8- or 9-iron for his approach shot at No. 9, but Thursday he had 220 yards left and hit a 4-iron. Jonathan Jones

▪ Trevor Immelman recorded an eagle on the par-4 12th when he holed out his approach shot from 100 yards away. J.J.

▪ Eric Axley carded a triple bogey at the par-5 7th. He was on the green putting for a long birdie when his putt ran off the green. After getting back on, he three-putted for triple. J.J.

By the numbers

0 Repeat winners at the Wells Fargo Championship

3 Bogey-free rounds Thursday (Streb, Hurley, Russell Knox).

14 Rounds of par or better (out of 19) by McIlroy at Quail Hollow.

Quoting

“I want to play better so I can spend more time with them. That’s definitely a motivator.” – Chappell, on his wife, Elizabeth, and newborn son, Wyatt.

Friday’s weather

Mostly cloudy, high of 81. Chance of rain: 7 percent.

This story was originally published May 14, 2015 at 8:32 PM with the headline "Robert Streb posts early 65, holds off Patrick Reed, Kevin Chappell by stroke."