Kevin Na found something on the greens and it took him to the top of the leaderboard.
Na, who left Diamond Bar High to turn pro after his junior year in 2001, carded a bogey-free 7-under-par 63 to tie Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain for the lead after one round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
“I hit the ball well and made a lot of putts, and that putter hadn’t been very hot,” said Na, whose only PGA Tour victory came in the 2011 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children’s Open. “It was nice to see some putts go in. That’s probably been the strength of my game over the years.
“I played unbelievably well. This is a great course for me and I’m glad to be back.”
Cabrera Bello passed up the Czech Masters on the European Tour to play in the Wyndham on a sponsors exemption after tying for fifth in the Olympics last week in Rio de Janeiro.
Cabrera Bello took advantage of the opportunity by also playing bogey-free in his 63, which included a seven-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole.
“I asked a couple of months ago for an invite,” said Cabrera Bello, who has won twice on the European Tour. “It was my pleasure to be here. … I felt that it was going to be easier to travel South to North (America) than from Rio to Czech Republic, jet lag-wise.
“I’ve had a couple days rest and today was continuation of the good feelings. I would have wanted to win a medal, but given how it turned out, it was a very good week and coming into this week, I felt the game was good.”
Luke Donald made a hole in one with a 9-iron from 159 yards on the 16th hole on his way to a 65 and was tied for third with Brandt Snedeker, the 2007 champion in Greensboro, Derek Fathauer, Danny Lee of New Zealand and Peter Malnati.
Patrick Reed, who tied for 11th in the Olympics, shot 66 and was in a huge tie for eighth with Jim Furyk, coming off his 58 in the John Deere Classic, Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Shawn Stefani, Johnson Wagner, Andres Gonzales, Dicky Pride, Greg Chalmers of Australia, Troy Merritt, Bill Haas, Billy Horschel, Brett Stegmaier, Sam Saunders and Andrew Landry.
Rickie Fowler was in a tie for 22nd at 67, John Deere champion Ryan Moore tied for 41st at 68 and PGA champion Jimmy Walker struggled to a 74 and was tied for 138th.
