Author: Adam Frillman Updated: Thu 6/5/2008 9:34 pm

Michael Letzig of Richmond, Missouri got off to a hot start on Thursday at the PGA Tour's Stanford St. Jude Classic with three early birdies but could not continue the positive momentum finishing with an even par 70.  With birdies at the second, third and fourth holes, Letzig was 3-under through four holes and on the first page of the leaderboard early in the day.  A bogey on 10 and birdie on 12 kept him in the hunt, but three late bogeys at 14, 15 and 17 moved Letzig from a possible tie for third with Vijay Singh to a tie for 24th.

Letzig, the 2002 Missouri Amateur Champion, earned his 2008 PGA Tour Card by finishing in the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour Money List in 2007.  In his first stint on 'The Tour', he has seen mild success with two top-10 finishes, but has only made 6 cuts in 14 total events placing him 112th on the FedEx Cup points list. 

St. Louisan, Jay Williamson is one stroke back of Letzig at 1-over par and is tied for 39th after one round.  Williamson has made 10 of 15 cuts in 2008, but has only one top-25 finish to place 145th on the FedEx Cup points list.

U.S. Open note:  Letzig qualified for play at Torrey Pines, Williamson is not in the field.