Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Sportsbooks) - Rob Grube posted a five-under-par 66 on Thursday to take the first-round lead of the Costa Rica Golf Classic at Reserva Conchal Golf Club.
Chris Baryla, Martin Ureta and Sebastian Saavedra are knotted in second place at four-under 67, while Kris Wasylowich, Juan Ignacio Gil and Daniel Escalera share fifth at minus-three.
Grube began on the 10th tee Thursday and bogeyed his second hole, the 11th. He birdied 14, eagled the par-five 16th and birdied the par-five last to make the turn at three-under 32.
On his second nine, Grube got to four-under par thanks to a birdie at the short, par-four first. Grube, who posted a pair of top-five finishes early in the 2008 campaign birdied the par-five fourth.
Grube parred his final five for the first-round lead.
Clark Burroughs, Josh McCumber, Marcel Haremza, Diego Larrazabal, Luciano Dodda and Robert Gates are knotted in eighth place after opening rounds of two-under 69.
This is the third event on the 2009 Canadian Tour schedule.
Rafael Gomez won the Sport Frances Open and is tied for 34th place at two-over 73.
Fabian Gomez captured the Argentine Masters last week and is not in the field.
Erik Compton, less than seven months from his second heart transplant, is part of the group tied for 34th with Rafael Gomez.
