Quiroz leads by 1 in Winnipeg

Winnipeg, MB – Alex Quiroz fired a 6-under 65 on Thursday to grab a 1-stroke lead after the first round of The Players Cup.

The Mexican is making his second start of the year. In his first event, the ATB Financial Classic, Quiroz missed the cut by five strokes.

Josh Habig, who won this tournament in 2006, carded a 5-under 66 at Pine Ridge Golf Club. He was joined in second place by Alan McLean, Vincent Covello, Michael McCabe and Chris Killmer.

Jose de Jesus Rodriguez, who won twice last year, headlines a group of eight players tied for seventh at 4-under 67.

Quiroz, the 2002 champion, started on the back nine and birdied three of four holes from the 12th. He gave one stroke back with a bogey on the 17th.

The 38-year-old erased that mistake with a birdie on the first. Quiroz birdied the par-5 to move to 4-under.

Quiroz dropped in back-to-back birdie efforts from the seventh to grab the lead.

NOTES: Tom Hoge, the 2011 champion, is not in the field...Wes Heffernan (2008) and Mike Mezei (2007) are the only other winners in the field this week. Heffernan is tied for 30th, while Mezei shares 44th at minus-1 with last week's winner Matt Hill and a host of others.