Paul Waring carded a career-low, bogey-free, 7-under 63 to take a one-shot lead at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

He is playing on a Major Medical Extension following a shoulder injury last year.

“Back to full fitness now, able to go at it a little bit more with a driver, which is good. It was a battle last year. I had a cortisone injection in my shoulder. I was playing with it taped up most weeks. I was on painkillers just trying to get through it,” said Waring. “And I said previously as well, I’m playing against the best players in the world with literally one arm tied behind my back, so it was never going to be easy.

“I rehabbed it well over the winter. Come back out this year, as I say, found a bit more ball speed again and I can attack a golf course as long as this one.”

His round included a career-best 161’ 10” of putts made (previous best: 136′ 9″ at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open/R1). He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (5.342) and T1 in Scrambling (4/4).

The 41-year-old holds the lead/co-lead for the first time after any round on the PGA Tour. He is seeking to become the third Englishman to win the Texas Children’s Houston Open: Paul Casey (2009), Ian Poulter (2018).

Waring has missed the cut in all three of his starts this season, most recently at last week’s Valspar Championship (75-70). He has has one top-10 finish in 26 PGA Tour starts (2019 WGC-HSBC Champions/T8).

“I found a little bit of momentum coming forward in the last few weeks. I know missed cuts at Valspar and Cognizant, but felt like my golf game was in a good spot, I just didn’t really — I gave too many shots away in the first few weeks, where this week, a lot tidier, no bogeys and holed a good amount of footage today. I think I’ve just been told I holed over 160 foot of putts today, which is massive and gives you a massive advantage,” said Waring.

American Gary Woodland equaled the best opening-round score of his career with a 64, having made seven birdies and one bogey, and lies in second place at 6-under. He is bidding to become the first player to finish runner-up and then win the same tournament the next season since Robert MacIntyre (2023, 2024 Genesis Scottish Open).

Sam Burns of the United States made two bogeys and posted a 65 in his fifth start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open to take a share of third place at 5-under alongside compatriots Michael Brennan and Tom Hoge.

Brennan made an eagle at the par-5 16th as well as four birdies and one bogey while Hoge stayed bogey-free.

Defending champion Min Woo Lee fired six birdies and four bogeys for a 68 and lies in T31 at 2-under. He seeks to become the second player to successfully defend a Texas Children’s Houston Open title (Vijay Singh/2005/GC of Houston).

The top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking through the Texas Children’s Houston Open will qualify for the
Masters Tournament if not already exempt; players in the field between Nos. 40-65 in the OWGR who have not qualified for the Masters and their opening-round scores:
• No. 42 Jake Knapp (T59/-1)
• No. 47 Nicolai Højgaard (T31/-2)
• No. 51 Pierceson Coody (T76/Even)
• No. 56 Michael Thorbjornsen (T31/-2)
• No. 61 Rickie Fowler (T11/-3)
• No. 65 Jordan Smith (T59/-1)

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