Maybe it's a new beginning for Omar Uresti.
The journeyman pro has been struggling for the last few months, having missed four of his last five cuts on the Nationwide Tour. But despite missing the cut last week in Wichita, the Texan didn't feel that badly about his game, and thought he could have easily made the cut if a few things went his way.
"Missing the cut last week was actually kind of strange," Uresti said. "Because I played pretty well, I just didn't get anything out of it."
So Uresti teed off Thursday morning at Victoria National feeling like he could compete this week, especially on a layout that rewards keeping the ball in the fairway - one of his major strengths. The Texas grad and advocate got off to a good start with birdies on four of his first six holes, made a few putts on his final nine, and got up and down for par when he needed to.
After rolling in an 8-footer for birdie on the par-5 9th, Uresti signed for a round of 7-under 65, and was all smiles. And why wouldn't he be? The 42-year old holds a two-stroke lead over the field after the first round of the United Leasing Championship.
"I'm very happy with the way it all turned out," Uresti said. "I got off to a good start, and just a pretty good, solid round of golf."
Teeing off on hole 10, Uresti's initial surge up the leaderboard started on hole 13. After hitting his approach on the par-4 to the back fringe, Uresti rolled in a 20-footer to get to 2-under on the day.
On the next hole, a long uphill dogleg-right par-4, Uresti short-sided himself off the tee. His ball was in the fairway, but he would have to hit a hard cut around trees if he wanted to attack the flag.
But Uresti was feeling good about his game, so he went for it. He executed it perfectly, with the ball hitting the front of the green and rolling to inside 5 feet.
"Had to hit a cut shot with a 4-iron around there," Uresti said. "It landed just perfect on the green, caught the slope, and just fed up there."
From there, the proud Texan was rolling.
Uresti missed the fairway on holes 1 and 6, and he was forced to lay up just short of the green on both occasions. Each time, he chipped to inside 8 feet, making the par putts and keeping his momentum rolling.
Even after his one mishap, he was able to sustain momentum. On the second hole, Uresti hit a wedge approach that landed 20 feet past the hole and spun back to inside 3 feet. The putt was a slippery one, and Uresti couldn't get it to fall.
"That was a weird thing," Uresti said. "I felt like I hit a decent putt, but it was kind of weird. I took the putter back, and right before I started my through stroke, my putter got stuck on the grass."
But the veteran knew that 4-under was still a great score at that point, and he rebounded to finish well and open a lead. Uresti made solid two-putt pars on the 35d and 4th, and sunk a 45-footer up the hill for birdie on 5 that put him 5-under on the round.
The two-time Web.com Tour champion saw his name high on a leaderboard at that point - which got the adrenaline pumping, he would admit - but channeled the positive energy to birdie his last two holes. A hard-breaking left-to-right 15-footer on 8 produced a series of fist pumps, and a solid up-and-down at the 9th left Uresti in great position for the rest of the week.
The heat was a factor even in the morning, and Uresti knows the weather is sure to pose a challenge on Friday. But the Texan is ready to go, and happy to start tomorrow's play at 7-under par.
"It's finally nice to be one of those guys that puts that number up," Uresti said. "I wasn't expecting it."
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-Uresti said that coming into the week, he felt Victoria National suits his game - especially considering the premium placed on keeping the ball out of the rough.
"Having to hit the ball straight, I always feel like that's one of my strengths," Uresti said. "I've always been a fairly straight driver of the ball, so I felt pretty good about it, as far as that goes."
-Uresti's playing competitor Brendan Pappas struggled to an opening 79. Nonetheless, Pappas was seen cheering Omar every step of the way - everything from yelling 'nice save' from way off the green after Omar made a nice par putt on 1, to a fist bump after Omar birdied the 8th.
Uresti and Pappas have become close friends lately - even rooming together during tournament weeks on occasion - and the comfort level just may have helped Uresti in his opening 65.
-While Uresti was lining up a birdie putt on the 8th, a telephone-like noise kept constantly ringing from probably 100 or so yards away. Uresti didn't seem to notice, though - the distraction didn't slow down his routine, and he rolled the tricky 20-footer right in.
-Talked to Uresti's caddy walking off the 6th tee. Asked him how he was feeling, and he said he was fine.
But he had a succinct warning.
"Wait until tomorrow."
Uresti tees off at 1:25 tomorrow, and the temperature should surpass 100 degrees by then. The Texan should be prepared to handle the conditions, and hopefully his caddy can do the same.
-Uresti's wife appeared on the 9th green, ready to greet him after his 65. The couple's son Omar Jr. was there, as well.
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