Jones, McNeill share first-round lead in Puerto Rico

• By Associated Press
• Mar 8, 2012 7:47 PM ET

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Australia’s Matt Jones and George McNeill overcame strong winds to share the first-round lead at 6-under 66 in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open on Thursday.

“It was very windy. Just had to judge it right,” Jones said.

Jones eagled the par-5 second hole and had five birdies and a bogey on the Trump International course.

“I had unbelievable ball-striking,” Jones said. “I think I was pin high every hole except 17, when I wanted to be a bit short of it, then I made good putts, had a good eagle to get started and had a great day.”

McNeill, who won the 2007 Frys.com Open for his lone PGA Tour title, had a bogey-free round.

“It’s just like Florida, so it felt comfortable, and I happened to play well,” McNeill said. “Obviously, I hit it pretty well and putted pretty well, and the few greens that I missed, I chipped them close and had tap-ins and everything else, so I avoided the mistakes.”

Ben Curtis was a stroke back at 67.

“With the windy conditions, the big thing is to keep the ball in play, keep it in the fairway and hit a lot of greens, and that’s what I did,” Curtis said. “I just tried to make a lot of controlled swings and hit the ball solid and get it going in the right direction.”

Jeff Overton, Todd Hamilton, Kevin Kisner and Daniel Summerhays followed at 68.

“It was hard,” Overton said. “A lot of wind.”

He made a double bogey after hitting into the water on the par-4 12th, his third hole of the day, then finished the round by holing a 7-iron from 147 yards for eagle on the par-4 ninth.

“The wind was howling off the right, and I started 25 yards right of the hole, and I hit a draw, and I thinned it just a little bit, which kept the ball down. Otherwise, I think the ball would have over hooked and went in the bunker,” Overton said. “I really was just hoping it was going to be somewhat close, and the thing came down and just one-hopped in the hole. I didn’t know it went in because you couldn’t see it.”

Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa, playing the event for the first time after failing to qualify for the World Golf Championship event at Doral, shot a 70.

Michael Bradley, the winner in 2009 and 2011, opened with a 72.