Hickok leads Web Tour Finals event

American Kramer Hickok shot a course-equalling seven-under-par 63 to lead the DPA Championship by five shots on Thursday.

The 26-year-old Hickok leads the second of four Web.com Tour Finals events, which will determine 25 PGA Tour cards, from Justin Hueber by one shot.

Hickok, who has already earned his PGA Tour Card with a 23rd-place finish on the Web.com Tour regular-season money list, shot eight birdies and a lone bogey in the opening round.

Aaron Baddeley leads the Australian contingent at the Canterbury Golf Course, his two-under-par 68 leaving him in a tie for 17th.

One shot behind in a tie for 29th are Stuart Appleby, Matt Jones and Cameron Davis.

The series features the top 75 players from the Web.com regular-season money list (Nos. 126-200) in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings; and non-members with enough money to have placed in the top 200.

Hickok and the other top-25 finishers on the Web.com regular-season money list are competing against each other for tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals.

The other players are fighting for 25 cards based on series earnings.