Erik Compton
Rich Barcelo and Erik Compton posted 6-under-par 64's Thursday and share the first-round clubhouse lead in the rain-delayed Panama Claro Championship, the initial tournament on the 2011 Nationwide Tour schedule. Australia's Gavin Coles is also at 6-under par but still has three holes to go at the Panama Golf Club.
Play was suspended for two hours starting at 1:50 p.m. due to a rare afternoon thunderstorm and kept 51 players from completing their rounds. First-round play will resume at 8:00 a.m. Friday and second-round tee times will start at 8:50 a.m.
Georgia Tech grad Roberto Castro carved out a 5-under 65 today after waiting out the two-hour delay in order to putt out on the 18th green.
"It's betting than having to come back and hit a 6-iron," he said after two-putting from 30 feet. "I've had a lot of close calls with the rain but I don't think I've ever had an 18th-hole putt. Most of the time you seem to sneak it in but I finally got caught today."
Former U.S. Amateur champion Danny Lee headlines a group at 4-under 66 that includes Cliff Kresge, Greg Owen and Colombia's Camilo Benedetti.
Kyle Reifers tallied four consecutive birdies to reach 4-under thru 15 holes and David Lutterus was also 4-under thru 11 holes.
Thursday turned out to be the second-consecutive 64 for Compton, the 31-year old two-time heart transplant recipient. He posted the same round in Sunday's final round of the Farmer's Insurance Open on the PGA TOUR in California.
"I felt like I had a really good week last week," said Compton, who finished T25 at Riviera Country Club after gaining entry as a Monday Qualifier. "This week is about trying to ride the train."
Compton's carryover was evident from the start -- he birdied his first five holes and six of his first seven despite not playing a practice round.
After a red-eye flight to Miami Sunday night he found out late Monday morning that he had gone from seventh alternate to being in the field after several players withdrew.
Rather than hustle quickly to Central America, he stayed at home to help celebrate his daughter's second birthday on Tuesday and talk with his coach before travelling south on Wednesday.
"I thought my wedge game was a little poor at Riviera and there you have a lot of long irons. Here we have a lot of short irons," he said. "My longtime coach said we didn't need to go to the range, so we just talked about it at my daughter's birthday party. I was close last week so for me to go and work on it when I'm tired is pointless."
