Steele on record pace in Texas; play suspended

10:16 PM ET

SAN ANTONIO — Brendan Steele got his only PGA Tour victory at the Texas Open five years ago. He was chasing a record when the first round of this year’s stop near the Alamo was suspended because of darkness.

Steele was atop the leaderboard at 8 under through 13 holes Thursday when play was stopped. Only half of the field completed the round after play was delayed for 3½ hours because of morning rain.

Among those who did finish, Charley Hoffman had a 6-under 66, a stroke ahead of Stuart Appleby and Peter Malnati. Appleby ended his round with five consecutive birdies.

“I can’t figure the last time I probably had two, three birdies in a row. Five was a great finish,” said Appleby, without a top-10 finish his 10 previous starts this season.

Brendan Steele can match the course record of 63 at TPC Oaks if he goes 1 under his final five holes in the opening round of the Texas Open. Scott Halleran/Getty Images

After playing bogey-free Thursday, Steele will return Friday morning to complete his first round at the TPC Oaks Course within reach of the course record of 63 set by Matt Every in 2012 and matched by Martin Laird in 2013. Steele could match that by going 1 under his final five …

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