HUMBLE — Mud balls aside, Chris Stroud was pleased with his opening round of 2-under-par 70 in Thursday’s opening round of the Shell Houston Open.

“The second shot on 15 was pretty costly,” Stroud said of his second on the par 5 that ended up in a fairway bunker and resulted in a momentum-killing bogey. “I set up for a hook, thought I hit it good and it wound up fading and going into the bunker. It had to be mud.”

Other than the stumble at 15, which slowed down a run of four birdies in seven holes, Stroud was pretty solid. He thought his wedge play could have been better, but overall loved the way he struck the ball.

“It was a good ball-striking round,” he said. “I probably hit it as well as I ever have. The conditions were a little tougher this afternoon with the wind. I’m looking forward to getting out earlier tomorrow in calmer conditions.”

For those who might be headed to Houston, Stroud goes off the 10th tee at 8:30 a.m. He will start the day six shots off Ricky Fowler’s blistering pace in a tie for 44th.

The Port Neches-Groves ex started fast on Thursday, rolling in an 8-foot birdie on the second hole, but dropped shots at the par 4, 3rd and the par 4, fifth. He stood one over when everything started falling into place on the par 5, eighth.

Stroud rolled in birdies from 2 feet on 8, 17 feet on the par 4 10th, 6 feet on the par 4 11th and 7 feet on the par 5 13th. Standing in the 15^th fairway, he was looking to get to 4 under when the mud ball rose up and bit him.

“I had a several others with mud but that was the only one that hurt me,” he said.
Stroud’s second on 15 up 57 yards from the green in a fairway bunker and his third plopped down in a greenside bunker. He was unable to pull off a sand save and walked away with a bogey.

“On the whole I thought I hung in there very well,” he said. ” I am pretty happy with 2 under. Probably the best I could have done was 4 under. I’d like to be 3 or 4 right now but it was difficult this afternoon.

“If the conditions are right in the morning, I think I could go 6 or 7 under. My game is solid. I’m feeling really good over the ball. I have taken all the stuff from my new coache and working it in. Plus I’m getting great feedback from Casey [Clendenon, former Lamar golfer] on the bag.”

Lamar’s other entry in the SHO, Shawn Stefani, shot an even par 72 and is tied for 86th. The 36-hole cut is expected to be 2 or 3 under.