LAS VEGAS – American Ryan Moore flirted with golf's magical jackpot, a 59, before he bogeyed his penultimate hole on the way to a sizzling 10-under-par 61 in Thursday's opening round of the Las Vegas Open. Moore, who started out at the par-four 10th, missed the green to the left with his tee shot at the short eighth but was otherwise delighted with his spectacular form in near-perfect scoring conditions in the Nevada desert. “It was one of those days that you just keep putting it in play,” said the 29-year-old Las Vegas resident, who has played the TPC Summerlin layout countless times. “You know you're going to have a bunch of pitching wedges, nine-irons, eight-irons into these greens. “As solid as I'm hitting it right now, that's just kind of my key. I know I'm going to have enough pretty darn good birdie chances if I'm just in the fairway with them. “The bogey there on my 17th hole, No. 8, I wasn't too happy about, but it was great to bounce back with a birdie on the ninth hole.” Moore, who won his only PGA Tour title at the 2009 Wyndham Championship, piled up nine birdies and an eagle, at the par-four 15th, to end the opening round of the Fall Series event with a one-stroke lead over Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge. Americans Tim Herron and tour rookie John Huh opened with 63s while compatriots Justin Leonard and Chris Kirk, and Swede Jonas Blixt, returned 64s. World No. 21 Nick Watney, the highest-ranked player in the field, carded a 66 while US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, whose 12-man team stunningly lost to a resurgent Europe after being outplayed in the concluding singles at Medinah Sunday, opened with a 68. — Reuters
