Vincent Publishing - Index

Vincent Publishing - 2008 Travelers Championship Magazine - Index

A Playoff Payoff
Hunter Mahan tied his best ever round on Thursday and held on to win the
2007 Travelers Championship edging out Jay Williamson in extra holes.
BY JIM CHIAFFREDO
20 This is the new era.
H
unter Mahan was born in California and
currently lives in Texas, but he loves Hartford,
Connecticut.
Mahan, who finished second here in 2006, shot an
8-under 62 on Thursday to take the first-round lead
at the 2007 Travelers Championship before play
was suspended with 39 golfers still on the course.
The round was one stroke off the course record and
was his sixth consecutive round in the 60s at the
TPC River Highlands.
"It's one of the courses that you look at it and you
feel comfortable," he said. "There's not really a shot
here that I worry about."
Mahan shot a 31 on his first nine holes, made par on
10 and then birdied his next four holes.
A rain delay of over an hour didn't seem to faze him,
as he came back out and birdied 17.
That run allowed him to overtake early leader Chris
DiMarco, who shot a 64 despite an ailing shoulder.
"I hit a ton of good golf shots today," Mahan said. "But
it's just the first round. We've got a long way to go."
Mahan's round tied his best ever, which was in the
third round of the 2003 Valero Texas Open. His
previous best was a second-round 65 at the Buick
Invitational. He's had two second-place finishes in his
career, but has never won on the PGA TOUR.
"If I can build on my score from today, I feel I have
a pretty good shot," he said.