Castro's 63 equals course record at Players Championship

ESPN
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Roberto Castro shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday in his debut round at The Players Championship to match the Stadium Course record held by two World Golf Hall of Famers.
Castro's bogey-free round at TPC Sawgrass included seven birdies and an eagle at the par-5 second hole.
[+] Enlargehttp://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0509...tro_d1_200.jpg AP Photo/Gerald HerbertRoberto Castro walks off the course Thursday after a great day of golf -- seven birdies and an eagle for a 9-under 63.



The 27-year-old former Georgia Tech star missed a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-5 ninth that would have broken the course record, which he now shares with Fred Couples (third round, 1992) and Greg Norman (first round, 1994). Norman went on to win the tournament.
Castro holds a 3-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and Zach Johnson, who both shot 66 on Thursday, with the afternoon groups still on the course.
"I hit it close a lot," Castro said of his round, which began on the 10th hole. "I hit a couple of gimmes on the back, but really birdies on 17 and 18 got things going. I hit a 4-iron close on 18 to kick in almost. So from there, it was kind of off to the races."
Castro's best finish this season is a tie for 21st at the Tampa Bay Championship in March. In his second year on the PGA Tour after earning his card through the 2011 qualifying school, the Houston native said that his performance Thursday was a good sign that his game is finally coming into form.