The Starter, Round 2: Wyndham Championship
The second round of the Wyndham Championship is set to begin Friday. Here's a preview:
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EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Bob Stevens previews Friday's action:
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We're in NASCAR country, so it probably isn't a surprise that one of the contenders is seeking counsel from NASCAR's points leader. Jason Gore is staying with Kevin Harvick this week and told me the No. 1 driver in stock car racing has actually helped him with his patience, telling Jason that he doesn't need to win the race in the opening round, just to do as Harvick did in his Michigan win last week, hang with the leaders and wait for things to develop late. Gore will come out of the overnight pit stop trying to stay with the leaders after an opening 5-under-par 65 in his first PGA TOUR event since the U-S Open.
Beware the wounded golfer? We hear it all the time, and two veterans are in Greensboro trying to prove it. Mike Weir told me he would be resting a very sore elbow that's been killing him since before the RBC Canadian Open if he weren't #126 on the FedExCup points list. Instead, he'll spend today trying to build on an opening 3-under-par 67. John Daly begins the day two-under, playing with a bad right shoulder he says he's scared to try to extend through a full swing for fear of separating it. Basically swinging with one arm, Daly was a couple of missed 3-footers from being right up with the leaders despite hitting well short of his playing competitors that include the oft-injured Rocco Mediate.
The last regular season event is probably not the time to be tinkering with new equipment, but Brandt Snedeker (-7) has broken out a new driver he says is giving him 10 extra yards and John Rollins (-6) has changed putters for the first time in longer-than-he-can-remember. Of course, Snedeker is 45th on the points list, Rollins is 79th, so they're looking for an edge heading through the playoffs, not desperate for a quick fix. just to get in them.
INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Todd Jones, Head Instructor at THE TOUR ACADEMY at TPC Sawgrass, provides a few helpful hits while you watch the first round.. For more information about THE TOUR ACADEMY, click here.
Round 1 of the Wyndham Championship saw ideal conditions for scoring. The winds were down, allowing the players attack.
Arjun Atwal led the way with a bogey-free round of 61. Atwal was solid from tee to green, hitting 86 percent of his fairways (T5 in the field) and 83% of his greens (T25 in the field). However he was awesome on the greens taking only 24 putts (2nd in the field) and averaging 1.47 putts per green hit in regulation.
Look for the good scoring to continue in round two as the greens are receptive and slightly slower than usual. This combination allows players not only be aggressive with their approach shots but also with their putts. While watching the players go low in the second round, pay particular attention to the Aim Point feature used on the greens during the telecast. Aim Point illustrates the true break of the putt. Great putters will read plenty of break into the putt, while average putters tend to consistently miss low because they under read the putt. To make more putts use the adage -- it you miss, miss high and long -- and establish your own "aim point" accordingly.
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