Brett Stegmaier fires 63, sits atop leader board at River Run

A hot start put Brett Stegmaier atop the leader board after Thursday’s opening round at the Small Business Connection Championship at River Run Country Club.

Stegmaier, of Vero Beach, Fla., shot a 9-under-par 63 – tying the tournament record at River Run – to hold a two-shot lead over Zack Fischer in the second of the four PGA Web.com Tour Finals events.

Teeing off on the back nine at River Run, Stegmaier charged into the lead with five birdies and an eagle on No. 18. He finished the round with seven birdies.

Three who mattered

Zack Fischer: Began his round with a bogey, then reeled off eight birdies over the final 17 holes to finish at 7-under 65.

Emiliano Grillo: Playing in Stegmaier’s group, had two birdies and two bogeys over the first nine holes. But he closed with six birdies over the final nine holes to finish at 6-under 66.

Ryan Spears: Missed cut in 2013 tournament at River Run, and didn’t play last year; Thursday, he had six birdies to finish at 6-under 66.

Worth mentioning

▪ Andrew Svoboda, the 2013 winner at River Run, shot a 3-under 69. Tommy Gainey, who won in 2010 when the event was played in Maineville, Ohio, shot 2-under 70.

▪ While no one had a hole-in-one, seven players had eagles: Stegmaier, Thomas Aiken, Cameron Percy, Hiroshi Iwata, Kyle Stanley, Chase Wright and Max Homa.

▪ Jin Park and Bronson Burgoon finished with a dubious honor – the most bogeys (seven each). Burgoon finished at 3-over 75, Park at 4-over 76.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Brett Stegmaier fires 63, sits atop leader board at River Run."