Three-time Texas champ happy to be back

Former British Open champion Justin Leonard returns to one of his happiest hunting grounds for this week’s Texas Open in San Antonio, where he will bid to become the event’s first four-time winner.

The 36-year-old emulated fellow American Arnold Palmer by completing a hat trick of titles in 2007 and has always relished playing at La Cantera Golf Club’s Resort Course.

“I’ve had some great tournaments here in the past,” Dallas-born Leonard said in the build-up to Thursday’s opening round.

“Starting out my first year down here, I played well and finished in the top 20. I got my card and next year I got into the Tour Championship by finishing second to Duffy [Waldorf] here.”

Leonard ended up six strokes behind Waldorf in 1995 and was again a runner-up in 1998, finishing just one shot behind Hal Sutton.

After posting back-to-back victories at La Cantera in 2000 and 2001, Leonard edged out Swede Jesper Parnevik in a playoff for the 2007 title to join Palmer, who won three years in a row from 1960.

http://www.canada.com/sports/golf/Three+time+Texas+champ+happy+back/1591752/story.html

Leonard shares Texas Open lead

SAN ANTONIO — After more than a decade of remarkable success at the Valero Texas Open, not much at the Resort Course at La Cantera intimidates Justin Leonard.

So, after yanking a 6-iron wide of the 18th green early Thursday evening, the poorest effort of his opening round, the three-time winner of the event stood over his ball in the shaggy grass with a sense of familiar anticipation.

In San Antonio, he expected something special.

Thus, it was little surprise when Leonard’s shot from 62 feet away fished out of the second cut of Bermuda turf, threaded toward the cup as if on a string and dropped in for a final birdie to cap a 7-under 63.

“Because I’ve played here so much, I don’t have a whole lot of conscious thoughts,” Leonard said later. “I mean, I just kind of know.”

As a result, the former University of Texas star holds a share of the first-round lead for the second time in 11 trips to La Cantera. He joins veteran Paul Goydos atop a field that was tested Thursday by unusually hot, windy conditions at the 6,881-yard layout.

“I would say the conditions are pretty similar to what they were when we used to play in September,” said Jeff Maggert, who joined 2008 Nationwide Tour graduate Marc Leishman and Ted Purdy in a three-way tie for third, a stroke back.

Goydos, who has never missed the cut in 11 previous appearances in San Antonio, took advantage of relatively placid conditions when he teed off early. He scorched the front nine at 6-under 29, joining Bill Haas in hitting that mark on Thursday.

Thursday’s action hinted at more of that to come. Sixteen players shot 67 or better, with former major-winners David Duval (66), Lee Janzen (66), Corey Pavin (66) and Shaun Micheel (67) in the hunt.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6425057.html