Castro (67) taking advantage of playing at home

ATLANTA – Roberto Castro figures he’s played well over 100 rounds at East Lake in his lifetime, but none as good – at least in style points – as his opening 67 on Thursday at the Tour Championship.

Castro, a Tour Championship rookie who went to school at nearby Georgia Tech and lives about 15 minutes from the Donald Ross course, birdied the turn (Nos. 9 and 10) and managed bounce-back birdies at Nos. 13 and 15 after a bogey at the 12th to move into a share of fourth place at the finale.

Tour Championship: Articles, videos and photos

“It’s nice playing at home. Usually I play with a guy and we’re hearing a lot of ‘Go Dawgs’ or ‘Go Tigers,’ here there were a lot of ‘Go (Yellow) Jackets’ which was nice,” he said.

In his second year on Tour, Castro earned his trip to East Lake via a runner-up finish at the AT&T National and a tie for ninth at the Deutsche Bank Championship. In fact, last week’sBMW Championship was the first no-cut event he’s played on Tour, but it’s his first trip “home” that has been particularly enjoyable.

“This is when you know you made it because my caddie is staying at the Ritz,” he smiled.