Chase Colston

By the time I got word that "someone is 8 under through 13," Matt Loving was on the ninth tee for his final hole.

Just like he had done all day, Loving hit a perfect tee shot, found the green in regulation and sank his putt.

No bogeys, eight birdies = 62.

And a 29 on the back nine.

"Incredible," said Cascades head pro Kenny Huff. "A 62 out here is a [heckuva] round of golf."

And it was as quiet a course record as it could get.

Loving and his wife bumped fists before he graced the ninth green and sank his fifth straight par putt on the front nine.

There was no gallery, no applause. Loving's wife, Brandy, was the only caddie among the three players.

The Cascades was the lead witness to Loving's conquering of the course on Thursday. He mastered a harder 18 holes than the ones he played last year when he missed the cut at the Texas State Open.

Funny, he still wasn't satisfied. Partly because he didn't know he had broken the course record of 63.

"I lipped out three birdie putts and I parred three of the four par fives," said Loving, who started on the back nine at 7:30 a.m.

"When I got to five, that's when I started to think I could get a 59. I guess I just jinxed myself."

Said Brandy: "We've been together 10 years and this is my first time to caddy for him. I guess I'm his good luck charm."

Loving hit every fairway, every green in regulation and showed up on the greens. The rough at the course is simply unfair at this point, and Loving never touched the high grass - easily the difference between his round and the 150-plus others.

It was the epitome of a perfect first round at The Cascades. There are three rounds left, sure (and Loving pounded that into my head), but there may not be another 18 holes this weekend as important as the first.

Mother Nature behaved herself Thursday after tormenting The Cascades day after day. Yeah, it was hot as - well, you know - but clear weather gave way to the opportunity to make a statement.

Loving did.

A three-stroke lead heading into the weekend might prove enough with forecasts showing a 40-percent chance of rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Such a low round will give Loving some needed room if the heavens open up this weekend.

But consistency is where the $25,000 first-place prize lies, and consistency was not an attribute Loving had this time last year.

"I don't even want to talk about last year," joked Loving, who obviously blocked out his first-round 77 in 2006.

What's so different from his game then?

"I just hit the ball really, really well today," said Loving, who added he set the record at his home course, Briggs Ranch, in San Antonio last week. "And I have a belly putter now. It's like cheating."

Another joke. Loving was taking his record-setting round in stride, so he still meant business.

Loving's approach to such a situation points to a more focused mindset, too. He's surrounded by stud players, a defending champion (Casey Devoll) is three strokes behind and lately you never know how Mother Nature is going to affect one's game.

"You just gotta hit the fairways. You can't fire at the pin if you're in the rough," he said. "It's too high."

After a 62, Loving might expect a crowd on Friday.

Chase Colston covers sports for the Tyler Paper.
()