Davis has the right touch
Brian Davis found his long-lost putting touch to head the British challenge in the opening round of the Players Championship.
Davis has endured a nightmare on the greens this year, but he rolled in four birdies from outside 10 feet on his way to a one-under-par 71 in extremely strong and gusty winds at the Sawgrass TPC.
He also missed a couple of short ones, but was hardly in a mood to complain after pitching in from 35 yards at the last to lie just two strokes behind clubhouse leaders Phil Mickelson and Rory Sabbatini.
Davis credited his improved form on the greens to a lesson with Gary Evans, the recently retired touring pro.
He said: “It’s a long time since I putted like that – the way the year’s been going, it’s nice to get a bit of momentum.”
Davis was best of the early British starters, with Luke Donald shooting 74, Ian Poulter 75 and Paul Casey 76 in winds which gusted to more than 30mph.
American Mickelson and South African Sabbatini tamed the brutal conditions to lead on five-under 67 with half the field back in the clubhouse, while Tiger Woods struggled on the greens, shooting 75.
Donald is usually mild mannered – but he was fuming after a nightmare finish saw him drop three shots in his final two holes.
He said: “I had a great comeback in the middle (four birdies in five holes) there but to finish double bogey, bogey leaves a bitter taste.
His tee shot at the par-three eighth, his 17th hole, finished so far wide of the target that he found a water hazard he barely knew existed.
He explained: “I didn’t hit a bad shot – as soon as it got up past the trees (the wind) took it 40 yards right. I’ve never seen a ball move that fast for a straight shot.”
Another unhappy player was Paul Casey, who came to grief at the famous par-three 17th as he plunged to a “frustrating” 76.
Casey, in the first group of the day off the 10th tee, was tied for the lead after seven holes, but it all went horribly wrong at the 17th, his eighth hole.
He was first to play in the strong, gusty winds, and selected a nine-iron.
Not only was it not enough club, but he did not make good contact, his ball finding the water short and right of the island green.
He said: “I didn’t strike the tee shot very well but I didn’t think it was in the water.
“I thought it was the right club, but I was wrong, I guess,” added Casey, who compounded his problems by three-putting from 60 feet, after pitching his third shot to the back of the green.
“It’s frustrating, because I wanted to start this one off well. I’ve started enough tournaments this year poorly, the Masters, for example.
“It’s disappointing to shoot yourself in the foot early.”
