Midland, TX – B.J. Staten flirted with a 59 for a short under 63 on Thursday to open the WNB Golf Classic in fine fashion.
Staten, who has never won professionally, had an eagle and eight birdies -- all in his first 14 holes. He blew his chance at 59 with a bogey at the par- five 15th at Midland Country Club and finished with three pars for a one-shot lead.
The recently-turned 34-year-old has posted a couple top-five finishes this season, but has missed the cut in 11 of 19 events.
Staten still has a lot of work to do with Bubba Dickerson and Danny Lee sharing second at eight-under 64.
A couple multiple-time winners lurk in fourth at minus-seven: Craig Bowden, a three-time champion, and Bob Heintz, a two-time winner. Bowden, though, hasn't won since 2006, while Heintz's last victory came in 1999.
Of the two-time winners on tour this year, only J.J. Killeen is playing this week, and he's five shots off the pace at four-under 68. Three victories in a single year earns an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour.
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