Mississippi native Davis Riley shot a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 to earn a share of the first-round lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson.Riley and Will Gordon set the early pace ahead of seven players one stroke behind them at five-under.Riley, 25, started off hot with four birdies over the first seven holes at the Country Club of Jackson.
He added two more at 15 and 16, the latter an18-foot putt, his longest of the day."I didn't have the best day with my driver, but when I did hit the fairway, I felt like I gave myself a really good opportunity to hit some nice approache sin there," he said.Waterford man Seamus Power is five shots behind the leader after a one-under 71.
Power was two under thru 8 but had slipped back to level par before a birdie on 16.Riley's best showing on the PGA Tour was a second-place finish at last year's Valspar Championship.There is added pressure to win his home-state event.
The Hattiesburg native called the tournament "my fifth major" earlier this week."I think that's probably why I haven't played my best golf here in the past just because it's right down the road," Riley said. "I have so many friends and family here.