Castro shoots 62 to take two-shot lead at Sanderson Farms

First round leader Roberto Castro, right, hits from the ninth fairway during the first round of the Sanderson Farms Classic golf tournament in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, Nov 5, 2015.

Conditions were forgiving thanks to a course softened by rain and very little wind, and players were allowed to use preferred lies because of the wet conditions.

There were nine players left out on the course when the opening day’s play was halted by poor light, while 103 of 122 players who completed were on par or better.

In a tie for second after rounds of 64 are Aaron Baddeley and Bryce Molder, while Adam Hadwin and Brian Davis notched up 65s.

Castro said the increasingly competitive state of men’s golf meant that fast starts to tournaments were ever more important.

Nine of the 131 players in the field were still on the course when play was suspended for the day because of darkness.

He earned his spot in the tournament by winning a three-for-two playoff in the Monday qualifier after hitting 17 straight greens after missing the first.

Though the 62 was his best on the tour, he’s gone low before, shooting a 9-under 63 at The Players Championship in 2013.

Baddeley has won three times on the tour, most recently in 2011, but has limited tour status after struggling last season. His round was buoyed by a 5-under start through seven holes that included an eagle chip-in from 35 yards on No. 15.

“I was thinking “let’s keep the pedal down” and had a few opportunities but they didn’t fall”, said Molder. That’s just a hole you’re trying to make par and scoot to the next tee. He was 7 under through 10 holes and 1 under the rest of the way.

“I knew that I wasn’t that far off, even though sometimes it feels a mile off, but it’s not”, Molder said.

And Vegas I also played solid I just didn’t get any results out of it so hopefully just trying to turn the corner here’.