James Driscoll shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday in the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open, missing a chance to break 60 when he played the final four holes in 2 over.
Driscoll eagled the par-5 fifth - his 14th hole of the day - to reach 11 under, but dropped strokes on the par-4 seventh and par-3 eighth at Trump International Golf Club-Puerto Rico. He had 10 birdies in a 12-hole stretch from No. 12 to No. 3 and ended up with a two-stroke lead over Will MacKenzie.
''I was 11 under with three to play, so I mean anything could have happened,'' Driscoll said. ''If I birdied all three holes or two of them, I could have shot in the 50s, but they were tough holes.
''The seventh hole is a pretty tough hole. I hit a good shot, made bogey, unfortunately kind of got a bad kick, but then the eighth hole I hit it solid, but I pulled it in the hazard and made bogey there. So with three holes to go, definitely could have been lower, but I got a few lucky breaks out there, too, so I'm not really looking back thinking that it should have been a lot lower. But it could have been.''
Driscoll matched the course record set by Derek Lamely in the third round of his victory last year.
Angel Cabrera, Omar Uresti and Brendan Steele opened with 66s, and Troy Matteson, Aron Price, Hunter Haas, Fabian Gomez and Cameron Tringale were another stroke back. Stewart Cink had a 69.
John Daly rallied to shoot a 70. He was 4 over after six holes.
Lamely had seven bogeys in a 76.
Mike Weir (wrist) and Boo Weekley (hand) withdrew during the round. Weir was coming off a career-worst 85 in the second round of the Honda Classic. He has shot 77s in his other three tour rounds this year.
