Every fires 63; leads Texas Open by 3

San Antonio, TX – Matt Every fired a course-record, nine- under 63 Thursday to grab a three-stroke lead after the opening round of the Texas Open.

Every set the course record with his nine-birdie, nine-par round on the AT&T Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. Ryan Palmer and Scott Piercy set the old mark of 64 in 2010.

"I didn't even know what the course record was until I got done," Every admitted. "I kind of kept going and got a few good breaks in the middle of the round to keep the momentum going and then added up to nine-under."

Not bad for a guy who was busy the week of the Masters. Busy firing his swing coach, that is.

Hunter Haas is alone in second place at minus-six. Former British Open champion Ben Curtis carded a five-under 67 and is alone in third.

Fredrik Jacobson, the 2010 runner-up, posted a four-under 68 and was joined in fourth place by Cameron Beckman, Jason Gore, Troy Matteson and Derek Lamely.

Every started on the back nine and was on fire right from the start. He knocked in a four-footer for birdie on the 10th and made it two in a row with an eight-foot birdie putt at 11.

The 28-year-old converted another four-foot birdie try on No. 12 to quickly get to three-under. He settled in with four pars in a row from the 13th.

Every knocked his approach just inside six feet at the 17th and converted that putt for his fourth birdie. He holed a birdie effort from off the 18th green to make the turn in five-under 31.

The front side was more of the same. Every poured in a 44-footer for birdie on the second. He holed another birdie chance from off the green on No. 4.

Every drained an eight-foot birdie try at six before two-putting for birdie from 15 feet out on the eighth to get to minus-nine. He closed with a two-putt par to set the course record by one.

"It's almost like I'm playing better golf because I'm thinking more on the golf course," said Every. "I'm thinking about the shot instead of my swing and how to execute the shot."

Haas had a steady round that he started with a 15-foot birdie putt on the second. He parred the next four holes before running home a 24-footer for birdie on the seventh.

The 35-year-old Haas tapped in a three-footer for birdie on the ninth and made it two in a row with a 19-foot birdie putt at the 10th to move to minus-four. Haas parred seven consecutive holes before rolling in a five-foot eagle putt at the 18th to end alone in second place.

"I didn't drive the ball that well, but my irons kept me it in," Haas said. "It's nice to finish off a round like that. It's been a while. I've had a few good rounds this year and keep doing the rest of the week."

Former PGA Champion Rich Beem and David Mathis are tied for ninth at minus- three.

NOTES: Kevin Na, who made a 16 on the ninth hole in last year's opening round, hung a shirt on the tree that bothered him for several shots en route to that 16. He withdrew after shooting a 79 on Thursday, while John Mallinger, Erik Compton and Anthony Kim also withdrew during their first rounds...Defending champion Brendan Steele had three birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey in his opening-round 73...Only four of the last 10 winners are in the field, and Justin Leonard is the only other former winner near the leaderboard as he opened with a two-over 74.