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David Mathis fired a 65 Thursday at the Wyndham Championship.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- David Mathis doesn't know why he made the change. He's just glad that he went back to his old putter at the Wyndham Championship this week.

Mathis fired a 63 on Thursday morning to finish one shot off the pace set by Carl Pettersson. The round, which necessitated just 22 putts, was only his third  in the 60s in his last seven stroke-play starts.

"I'm trying to figure out why I took it out of play to begin with because I putted well (last) fall," Mathis said. "That time over Christmas, you do silly things, I guess. I don't know. I put it back in play this week and, gosh, I putted the ball just so nice. I can't, for the life of me, why in the world did I take that putter out of play? 
   
"I haven't felt like I've been playing poorly. I just haven't been getting the ball in the hole. It's a pretty fine line out here, obviously.  Gosh, I'm just thankful maybe hopefully to be on the other side of the struggle, I guess."

Mathis, who grew up in the Winston-Salem area, which is about 30 minutes from Sedgefield, came into the Wyndham Championship ranked 136th in the FedExCup. He  was projected 68th when he finished and would likely move into the top 125 with a finish of 22nd or better.

"It's really nice to get off to a good start especially the position I'm in with the FedExCup and being on the outside looking in," he said. "It's nice to get off to a solid start, give myself an opportunity to go forward to have a good finish and get in those playoffs which, gosh, it's a pretty big deal.
   
"It was a great day out there. I played well. I putted the ball just beautifully all day which was really nice you know. The greens are so good for being so young. It was a fun day."

Mathis has made the Playoffs once in his PGA TOUR career.

He came to Greensboro ranked 129th a year ago and missed the cut but was 126th in 2009 and improved to 118th when he tied for 17th at the Wyndham Championship. He only lasted one more week, though, missing the cut at The Barclays.

"I don't know (how to put the FedExCup out of my mind)," Mathis said. "Can you tell me? I try not to think about it but it's really difficult not to think about because it's such a big part -- it's such a big part of the year.
   
"Your life can change really quick in the FedExCup if you play well. You know, certain finishes get you in the next week and get you in the next week and, before you know it, if you've played well for three weeks you're in the TOUR Championship and, all of a sudden, you get in every major (except the PGA) the following year.

"They're big events. They mean a lot for us out here for sure."