PINEHURST, NC – While Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Webb Simpson, and Adam Scott, kept themselves in the pack nipping at leader Martin Kaymer’s heels, several other big names will be heading home if they don’t start stringing birdies together. Here’s a quick look at some of the superstars who struggled with Pinehurst No. 2’s curvy greens and bewildering rough and sand:
Ernie Els: 74 (+4) – After carding as birdie at the opening hole, the four-time major champion struggled with his irons – missing left, right, and long, making five more bogeys and a double. He was left searching for answers after his short game, normally sublime, proved mediocre in today’s first round. Typical of Ernie when he gets in a funk, he blew off the media. Perhaps that’s for the best. Journalists have been eager to bite the Big Easy back after he was crass and rude with writers at Kiawah Island and Merion
Lee Westwood: 75 (+5) – As even scientists in Antarctica know, Westwood has the talent to win a major, but just can’t get the job done. “He’ll do what he always does – play well enough to make the cut, then have a great round on Sunday when it doesn’t matter because he’s too far behind and collect a back door third or something,” said one newspaper writer. For those of you scoring at home, the other thing Westy always seems to do with majors is get himself into contention on Sunday, then spit the bit. It’s too bad, because he’s one of the nicest guys and smartest golfers on tour. Odds are the British Open will be his best chance to win a major. After that links courses Whistling Straits and Chambers Bay could be where he finally breaks through.
Y.E. Yang: 75 (+5) – When you make iconic writer Dan Jenkins apologize for a harmless joke and dress like you’re sponsored by Garanimals, you deserve to miss the cut.
Bubba Watson: 76 (+6) – The two-time Masters champion said before the tournament that he didn’t like Pinehurst. It turns out the feeling is mutual. A double at the 10th and five more bogeys were balanced against just one birdie.
“Around here it’s hard to visualize some of the shots I want to hit, and so for me it’s difficult,” he explained. “I didn’t putt well, I didn’t chip well….I got some iffy lies…the execution wasn’t very good today.”
That’ll do it, whether you’re at Pinehurst or the muni down the road.
Luke Donald: 77 (+7) – Take everything we said about Lee Westwood and repeat it here. For a guy so highly ranked, he sure plays some awful golf at the majors.
Lucas Glover: 79 (+9) – With Tiger, Phil, and David Duval all charging hard on the final day, how the hell did he ever win at Bethpage? Lucas Fluke-us…
These scores are especially disappointing as 15 players broke par and another 20 shot an even par 70. Indeed the scoring average for the entire field was a rather benign 73.23, peanuts compared to the 75s and 76s posted in previous years. In fact, the scoring average was the lowest for the opening round of a U.S. Open in a decade. If the real par of a course is what the course and weather dictate, then these scores are, comparatively, that much worse.
THIS ARTICLE ALSO APPEARED AT CYBERGOLF.COM
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