Mark Hubbard, who played at San Jose State, shot 7-under-par 64 to share the first-round lead with David Hearn of Canada, Michael Thompson and Tyler Aldridge in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.
Hubbard, a native of Denver who got into the tournament as an alternate when Matt Every withdrew, sank a 30-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole to get to 8-under before missing a nine-foot par putt to card his only bogey one hole later.
“I had a really speedy putt but kind of found a good spot and let it trickle in there (for the eagle),” said Hubbard, who claimed his only professional victory in the 2013 Wildfire Invitational on the PGA Tour Canada.
“This is a nice opportunity and I have to just keep on playing (like this) because I know the scores are low here every year. I’ve got a lot of golf ahead of me.”
Hearn, who has won twice on the PGA Tour, birdied four of the first seven holes after starting at No. 10, took his lone bogey at No. 17 and had four more birdies on the front nine, including three in a row to finish.
Thompson’s 64 included a double bogey 6 on the 11th hole and a 26-foot eagle putt at No. 16, while Aldridge was bogey-free with seven birdies through 16 holes when darkness halted play for the day.
Rodgers, the 2014 College Player of the Year from Stanford, holed a nine-foot eagle putt at No. 9 in a 65 that left him tied for fifth with Ricky Barnes of Stockton, D.H. Lee of South Korea, Chad Campbell, Ryo Ishikawa of Japan, Greg Owen of England, Ryan Palmer, Brendon Todd, Shane Bertsch, Patton Kizzire and Henrik Norlander of Sweden, who was 6-under after 16 holes.
Jimmy Walker carded a 66 and was tied for 16th with Nick Taylor of Canada, Morgan Hoffman, Wes Roach, Steve Marino, Brett Stegmeier, Rory Sabbatini of South Arica, Will Wilcox and Chris Stroud.
Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, the top-ranked player in the field at No. 5 in the world, was tied for 113th after a 72, and rookie Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, who won the Frys.com Open last week, shot 74 and was tied for 131st.
