New Zealand's best male golfer, Danny Lee continued his fine play on a glorious sunny day in Akron Ohio with a -5 65 for a one shot lead over a star studded field at this WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
Whether Lee is his country's best golfer is worthy of debate, only time will tell whether he or 18 year old Lydia Ko will be a clear winner, one thing is for sure, they both a very, very good.
In July Lee beat our own David Hearn in a playoff to win the Greenbrier with 4 rounds in the 60's including a 63, the next week he was 3rd to Jordan Spieth at the John Deere with 4 rounds in the 60's including a 62, he then missed the cut at St Andrew's, but returned last week to place 4th at Tiger's Quicken Loans with, you guessed it, 4 rounds in the 60's..
Only 21 of the 77 players who teed it up on a calm, clear, sunny day managed to break the par score of 70, a tribute to the fast fairways, firm greens and penal rough on this tight South Course.
Asked what the priority was to score well, Rickie Fowler who played with Zach JJohnson and opened with -3 67 said " Driving the ball in the fairway is the key, it's a ball strikers course and you have to be good tee to green to score well here"
Jim Furyk has made a very good living hitting fairways shot -4 66 to join Graham McDowell one shot out of the lead. Remember Furyk is very good at Firestone. He led all the way three years ago before coming undone on the 72nd and has posted 10 straight rounds in the 60's here, while McDowell who says he has been struggling to convince himself whether he really wants to stay in pro golf and grind it out after the birth of his daughter last September has made leaving home a lot tougher relied on his short game and a deft putting touch.
Rickie Fowler was joined by Justin Rose the pre tournament pick of many of my colleagues on 67, while Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are in a big group at -2 68.
In form Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and course specialist Keegan Bradley were also pre tournament favourites with the bookies and they are all in at -1 69.
Jordan Spieth has only played five rounds at Firestone, still hasn’t broken par, made a birdie at the last for E 70 in a rather uninspired opening round.
Jordan Spieth has only played five rounds at Firestone, still hasn’t broken par, made a birdie at the last for E 70 in a rather uninspired opening round.
To show what a fickle game golf can be, last week's clear cut winner, Troy Merriit who came in here brimming with confidence, is dead last after an opening +12 82 which included 6 bogey's and a double on the front nine (43), and a dreaded snowman on the par 5 16th for 39 on the back !
Sounds familiar...
Bryan
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