The Starter: Round 3, Mercedes-Benz Champ.

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Jan. 10, 2009
By PGATOUR.com staff

The first group will soon tee off in Saturday's third round of the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship is Kapalua, Hawaii. Here's how it sets up:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
5:50 p.m. ET (12:50 p.m. in Hawaii)		Davis Love III, Kenny Perry Both men are over 40, both hit it 300 yards, and both of them sit at 7 under, just four back of leader Geoff Ogilvy.
6:10 p.m. ET (1:10 p.m. in Hawaii)		Ernie Els, Anthony Kim Watch for these two players to go head-to-head later this year at the Presidents Cup. Els is only two back after breaking 70 the first two rounds. Kim must avoid bogeys: he's made 12 birdies, but his five bogeys have prevented him from making a charge.
6:20 p.m. ET (1:20 p.m. in Hawaii)		Geoff Ogilvy, D.J. Trahan Trahan shot the round of the week (66) in Round 2. This big hitter has scored well by dominating Kapalua's par-5s this week. Trahan had 30 putts on Friday. With Kapalua's huge greens, that is not a bad number.

Saturday's forecast

Sunny
Temp: 82 high/66 low
Winds from the east
at 9 mph.

BARE ESSENTIALS: Limited to those players who won on the PGA TOUR last year, the field has just 33 players. The first tee time Friday is 3:45 p.m. ET (10:45 a.m. Hawaiian time), with Ryan Palmer, who will play as a single after shooting a two-over 75 on Friday.

HOLE TO WATCH: The 555-yard, par-5 15th. Geoff Ogilvy, D.J. Trahan, Ernie Els and Anthony Kim combined to play it in five under on Friday. With two of the final four holes being par-5s, we can see some crazy scoring swings down the stretch.

WHAT TO EXPECT: "I don't know if this course fits anybody's game. I think you just have to take this course for what it is, because I don't think we see anything remotely close to this throughout the year. It's just there's so much up-and-down, there's so many sidehill lies. The greens are just wild and crazy. So, I mean, you kind of just have to come here this week and accept the course for what it is, play the course the way it asks to be played, because this course demands that you play it a certain way. There's really no way around it." -- D.J. Trahan, who will play in the last group today with second-round leader Geoff Ogilvy

IF YOU'RE LISTENING: The PGA TOUR Network will carry live third-round coverage from 5 p.m.-11 p.m. ET on XM 146/SIRIUS 209. On-air talent includes: John Tautges (host), John Maginnes (analyst) along with on-site correspondents Fred Albers, Michael Collins and Brian Katrek.

IF YOU'RE WATCHING: The GOLF CHANNEL will broadcast live third-round action from 6 p.m-10:30 p.m ET, and will be re-broadcast from 11 p.m.-3:30 a.m.

IF YOU'RE GOING: Then that means you're a very fortunate person, since you're basking in the Hawaiian sun. Click here for ticket information. Click here for shuttle information to the course. Click here for more about the local scene in Maui.

WEEKLY VERSION: To sign up for a newsletter version of The Starter delivered each Wednesday to your e-mail address, click here.

The Film Room

	PGA TOUR Today Win McMurry reviews the second round of the 2009 PGA TOUR season at the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Watch it
	Long bombs Adam Scott, D.J. Trahan and Davis Love III all ran in mile-long eagle putts on Friday. Watch it
	Sean O'Hair: Four back Brian Katrek from the PGA TOUR Network on SIRIUS XM Radio called the action on O'Hair's final hole and spoke to him afterward. Watch it

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Brian Katrek previews Saturday's third round:

Katrek

"There is only one more good day of weather for the participants this week, and they know it. Saturday will be beautiful, with light winds similar to Friday. The course was two shots easier on Friday than Thursday because of the relatively calm winds, and Saturday will bring more of the same.

But, this is the literal calm before the storm. Sunday will bring the dreaded Kona winds, and general badness. I am against general badness.

It is not unusual to see an Australian at the top of the leaderboard at the first event of the season. The three biggest events of the Australian golf calendar take place during the PGA TOUR offseason.

The Australian Open, Masters, and PGA all took place in the last month and a half. Don't count Boo Weekley out just yet. Although he four-putted 18, he did hit 17 of 18 greens on Friday and I would expect more of the same Saturday. And he is very used to Bermuda greens. Boo has a lot of his family out with him this week, making him feel even more at home. . "

Thus far at Kapalua