Kevin Roy shoots 62, leads Puerto Rico Open by one over Chris Gotterup

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Kevin Roy returned from an hourlong rain delay and holed a bunker shot for his 10th of 11 birdies on Thursday en route to a 10-under 62 and a one-shot lead in the Puerto Rico Open.

It was a career-low PGA TOUR round for the 34-year-old Roy, who only made nine cuts in 31 starts as a TOUR rookie in 2022-23 and lost his TOUR card. Roy was able to earn his way back to the PGA TOUR via the Korn Ferry Tour last year.

Chris Gotterup was 10-under par standing on the 18th when his tee shot found a small pond, which led to his only bogey of the day at Grand Reserve Golf Club. Gotterup will start his Friday one-shot back of Roy.

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Davis Riley each shot 64 in soft conditions at the event playing opposite to the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Bay Hill. The weather delay in Puerto Rico prevented 18 players from finishing their round before darkness.

Roy was 9-under through 15 holes when rain halted play. He then returned to play the par-3 seventh hole, where his 7-iron approach found a greenside bunker. After a wedge from the sand, he saw his ball disappear into the hole and he walked away with a birdie.

“That was silly, I’ll be the first to admit it. It was not the best hole to come out and start on again,” Roy said. “The lie was perfect. Just trying to get it up and down and it came out great with a little bit of spin and trickled in.”

Roy made his only bogey on the next hole before closing with a birdie.

“It was one of those rounds that just obviously everything was clicking,” he said.