WGC Cadillac Championship, Round 1, Go Low or Go Home

Not a tower day.

Today at the WGC Cadillac Championship it was the "calm after the storm". After a possible mini-hurricane knocked down TV towers at holes 8 and 9 and a two and a half hour delay as a result, moist conditions and benign winds prevailed making for perfect scoring conditions. It was a fortunate result that no one was injured during the tempest. 52 of 66 starters were at even par or better led by Hunter Mahan at -7 through just 11 holes. Seven golfers were at -5 with an additional eight at -4 in a round that will be completed tomorrow morning because of the weather delay.   

In one of the predetermined marquee grouping Phil Mickelson was -2, Tiger Woods and Graeme McDowell both -1 through fifteen holes. Woods hit some Captain Kirk shots, his inability to make a putt inside of fifteen feet was what prevented him from threatening the leaders. In the premier pairing of the world's top three players #1 Martin Kaymer was at -5, #2 Lee Westwood -4, and #3 Luke Donald was 5 under, all through 10 holes.  Full Field Partial Round 1 Scores

The course was there for the taking with greens stimping at about 11. That's Doral's only real defense other than wind. Greens at 11 have pros chomping at the bit with no fear of running by the hole and having to make a longish comebacker.  

If the course grows any teeth at all it will tough to make up having passed on the gift scores given today. With so many guys under par it's not just a question of going low later in the tourney, it's the herculean task of climbing over so many players. You can't rely on 30 pros puking on their FootJoys.Word to Mr, Woods, Mickelson, and McDowell..... Start making birdies when you climb out of bed tomorrow.






Swing hard, look up,