LAKEWOOD RANCH – Golfers the world over can only play make-believe when it comes to shooting a 10-under par 61.
If you’re really curious as to what it feels like, just ask Jorge Fernandez-Valdes. The 32-year-old from Cordoba, Agentina, ripped up the par-71 Lakewood National Golf Club on Wednesday with a career-best 61 to take the lead in the first round of the LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Fernandez-Valdes delivered a bogey-free round with 10 birdies. He also left his drive on the par-3 third hole on the lip of the cup and settled for a birdie, instead of a potential ace that could have left him at 60 when he signed his scorecard.
“I just go and try to play the best golf that I can, and stuff happens,” said Fernandez-Valdes, who is hunting for the second Korn Ferry Tour title at the $1 million Suncoast Classic. “I didn’t start the day knowing I was going to shoot 10-under. But you start playing good and you start to feel that it is going to be a good day.
“All kinds of thoughts were going through my mind. You start playing good, and you believe you will hit the target. It’s all in the mind. Golf is like that.”
As impressive as his round was, El Paso’s 25-year-old Tanner Gore was right on his heels, one stroke behind following a torrid 9-under 62 on Wednesday. Fernandez-Valdes was in one of the first groups that teed off early on Wednesday morning, and Gore was in one of the last groups to finish late in the afternoon.
The 18-hole record at Lakewood National still belongs to Mac Meissner, who shot a 12-under 59 during the second round of the 2023 Suncoast Classic. Mac Meissner is on the PGA Tour this year, but his brother Mitchell Meissner is in the field and turned in a 1-under round of 70 on Wednesday.
The Korn Ferry Tour record for a single round is held by Cristobal del Solar, who shot a jaw-dropping 57 in February 2024 in Bogota, Columbia. The Columbian golfer is playing in a $4 million tournament in the Dominican Republic this week.
“I had great consistency from the tee,” Fernandez-Valdes said. “I putted very well. I made good shots from the fairway. I was very consistent with everything.
“I just try to stay ready for the opportunity. Sometimes golf is like that. Golf requires lots of patience. There is always the start of another day. That’s the kind of job it is.”
Mike Johnson from Auburn University, Neal Shipley, an Ohio State product and Pittsburgh native, and Tom Whitney, who spent his college years at the U.S. Air Force Academy, were in a three-way tie for third place with 7-under 64s on Wednesday.
Shipley made it to 64 despite two bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine. He needed just 29 shots to conquer the back nine.
“It feels really good to shoot a 61,” Fernandez-Valdes said. “I was making birdies and kept trying to make more. I’m very happy with shooting the round of my life.”
You could tell that Fernandez-Valdes and his caddy were in extremely good moods as they strolled down their final fairway of the day.
“We were singing a lot of soccer songs about our favorite teams,” he said. “We were having a good time. We were talking about whatever.”
The second round of play is set to start on Thursday at 7 a.m.
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