Golf-Americans Stanley and Levin set Torrey Pines pace (Reuters)
January 27, 2012
* Stanley and Levin post 10-under-par 62s
* Perplexed Mickelson labours to a 77 (Updates at end of round)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
SAN DIEGO, Jan 26 (Reuters) – Kyle Stanley was one ofseveral players who took advantage of a picture postcard day onthe California coastline, charging into a share of the lead inThursday’s first round at the Farmers Insurance Open.
With hardly a breath of wind at a sun-splashed Torrey Pines,the big-hitting American fired a sizzling 10-under-par 62 on theNorth Course, one of two layouts hosting the fourth PGA Tourevent of the year.
Stanley, a PGA Tour rookie last year, recorded nine birdies,one bogey and an eagle at the par-five last to finish level withcompatriot Spencer Levin, who also started out on the Northlayout.
Bill Haas, last year’s FedExCup champion, opened with a 63on the North while three-times winner and local fan favouritePhil Mickelson was left shaking his head after battling to afive-over 77 on the more difficult South Course.
“A round like today gives you confidence that you’re doingthe right things,” Stanley told reporters after hitting anexquisite eight-iron from 173 yards to three feet to set up hiseagle at the 18th.
“I know it was a 62, but it was a pretty boring round ofgolf. I hit a lot of greens and made a lot of putts.
“The course is in good shape, the fairways are nice and thegreens are soft. You can be pretty aggressive with your ironsbut you’ve got to hit solid putts. If you don’t hit solid putts,it (the ball) will bump up on you.”
Haas, who has switched back to a belly putter for this week,was delighted with his form on the greens.
“It was a great start, mainly with the putter, and today itfelt really good which is surprising because these greens areprobably the toughest to putt on so far that we’ve played,” hesaid.
TARGET SCORE
Asked if he had a specific score in mind at the start of theday and whether that was achieved, Haas replied: “I would say Isurpassed that number.
“I just was hoping to play well and I knew on this courseit’s somewhat more gettable than the South. You can still shootgood scores over there too, but it definitely plays longer.”
Mickelson, making his second appearance of the year on thePGA Tour, was dumb-founded by his struggles in the opening roundas he mixed two birdies with seven bogeys.
“I don’t know what happened, I just wasn’t able to focus,”said the American left-hander, who has not triumphed at TorreyPines since 2001. “I made some bad swings just in the wrongspots and so forth.
“But I felt like my game was ready heading in, and I don’tknow what to say about the score because it was pathetic.”
Three-times major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji opened with a64 on the North Course and American world number nine DustinJohnson, the highest-ranked player in the field, carded a 66,also on the North.
Johnson was especially pleased with his score after havingto withdraw from last week’s Humana Challenge at La Quinta,California due to a lower back injury.
“Last week was the first time I had walked in a few monthsbut the knee’s good,” said Johnson, who had arthroscopic surgeryon his right knee in November. “I feel great.
“I hit the ball well today, even though I missed a fewfairways, but all the fairways I missed, it seemed like I wasjust a foot off. I hit my irons really good and I holed a coupleof putts.”
Defending champion Bubba Watson and fellow American KeeganBradley, winner of last year’s U.S. PGA Championship, returned69s on the North layout while South African Ernie Els andBritain’s Justin Rose launched their 2012 PGA Tour campaignswith 71s on the South.
The scoring average for the first round was 69.244 on theNorth Course and 72.846 on the South. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in San Diego; Editing byPatrick Johnston; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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