Associated Press
Thursday, March 23
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Bernhard Langer's wife, Vikki, gave birth to the couple's fourth child Monday. It was a boy, Jason, and the family brought him home Wednesday afternoon.
It limited Langer to just six holes of practice, because he arrived in Ponte Vedra Beach late Wednesday afternoon.
The lack of practice didn't seem to be a factor in the first round. Langer shot 2-under, part of a seven-way tie for second.
"I am pretty focused in whatever I do," Langer said. "That is one of the talents I have, I suppose. But I am very pleased that mom and the baby are healthy and everything is great."
Welcome to the club
Sergio Garcia got an ugly introduction to the TPC course. He shot 10-over 82. The 20-year-old Spaniard conceded he didn't play well -- he missed three 3-foot putts -- but still thought he may have scored worse than what he deserved. "I made probably four, five bogeys even though I hit good shots to the green," Garcia said. "But then, there was the three-putting and things like that. It was a little bit of everything, but I probably got a little more than what I think I deserve." Walrus sinks
Craig Stadler had the blowup of the day on the par-5 16th hole. He chunked a shot in the rough. The ball traveled about five feet, then Stadler walked up to the ball, and without pausing, blasted it out of the rough and into the water. He took an 8 on the hole, his second triple bogey of the round. On No. 12, Stadler tripled after he double-hit a wedge in the rough. On the par-5 11th, he bogeyed, a fatal flaw on the third-easiest hole on the course. He finished the round at 11-over 83. "I kind of grinded the front nine, missed a couple putts, but shot 3 over," Stadler said. "I thought I'd get a couple back on the back and still be all right on a day like this. Then 11 and 12 kind of put an end to it. It was just a joke after 12." Ryder tickets go on sale
Applications for tickets for the 2001 Ryder Cup in England were made available Thursday. A six-day ticket, good for three days of play and three practice days, will cost 200 English pounds, or about $312. Tickets are 60 pounds for Friday and Saturday rounds and 80 pounds for Sunday's round. Six-day tickets for last year's Ryder Cup in Boston were $275. The U.S. will defend its Ryder Cup Sept. 28-30, 2001 at The Belfry. A random computerized drawing will take place June 30 to allocate the tickets. Divots
Justin Leonard had two eagles as part of his round of 1-under 71.
Steve Elkington, a two-time champion, withdrew from the tournament because of a stomach virus. He was replaced by Matt Gogel, who shot 79.
Joe Ozaki made an early appearance on the leaderboard for the third straight year, shooting 2-under.
Phil Mickelson started on the back side and shot 10-over 46. He finished at 11-over 83. "This is not a course you want to play when you're not striking it well," he said. "Over the first nine holes, that was the case. I don't know what else to say."
Defending champion David Duval opened with two birdies, but played the rest of the course at 5-over.
Thursday, March 23
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Bernhard Langer's wife, Vikki, gave birth to the couple's fourth child Monday. It was a boy, Jason, and the family brought him home Wednesday afternoon.
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| Bernhard Langer is playing his fifth straight PGA Tour event. |
Sergio Garcia got an ugly introduction to the TPC course. He shot 10-over 82. The 20-year-old Spaniard conceded he didn't play well -- he missed three 3-foot putts -- but still thought he may have scored worse than what he deserved. "I made probably four, five bogeys even though I hit good shots to the green," Garcia said. "But then, there was the three-putting and things like that. It was a little bit of everything, but I probably got a little more than what I think I deserve." Walrus sinks
Craig Stadler had the blowup of the day on the par-5 16th hole. He chunked a shot in the rough. The ball traveled about five feet, then Stadler walked up to the ball, and without pausing, blasted it out of the rough and into the water. He took an 8 on the hole, his second triple bogey of the round. On No. 12, Stadler tripled after he double-hit a wedge in the rough. On the par-5 11th, he bogeyed, a fatal flaw on the third-easiest hole on the course. He finished the round at 11-over 83. "I kind of grinded the front nine, missed a couple putts, but shot 3 over," Stadler said. "I thought I'd get a couple back on the back and still be all right on a day like this. Then 11 and 12 kind of put an end to it. It was just a joke after 12." Ryder tickets go on sale
Applications for tickets for the 2001 Ryder Cup in England were made available Thursday. A six-day ticket, good for three days of play and three practice days, will cost 200 English pounds, or about $312. Tickets are 60 pounds for Friday and Saturday rounds and 80 pounds for Sunday's round. Six-day tickets for last year's Ryder Cup in Boston were $275. The U.S. will defend its Ryder Cup Sept. 28-30, 2001 at The Belfry. A random computerized drawing will take place June 30 to allocate the tickets. Divots
