PGA Tour Birdie binge puts Crane out front at Players
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/05/2009 (6328 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Ben Crane should have known what was coming when he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole of the day. He kept right on pouring them in until he had a 7-under 65 and a one-shot lead in The Players Championship.
Crane made four birdie putts longer than 20 feet, kept his ball on land throughout another wild opening round Thursday on the TPC Sawgrass and wound up atop a leaderboard devoid of the biggest stars.
Tiger Woods couldn’t make a putt outside four feet.
Phil Mickelson ran off three straight birdies early in his round, then couldn’t keep the ball in play.
Defending champion Sergio Garcia opened with a 71 and already was looking forward to going home to Spain.
Crane couldn’t relate.
“It’s one of those rounds that you just live for when you’re a golfer,” he said. “And I had one today at one of my favourite courses and tournaments of all time.”
He had a one-shot lead over John Mallinger, Alex Cejka and Richard S. Johnson of Sweden, with a large group at 67 that included Retief Goosen, David Toms, Camilo Villegas and Scott Verplank, who had two eagles — one of them from 150 yards out on the 15th fairway, another with a putt that seemed about that long on the par-5 second.
Calgary’s Stephen Ames is tied for 23rd at 2-under after shooting a 70, while Mike Weir, of Bright’s Grove, Ont., is tied for 58th with an even-par 72.
Woods opened his round with four straight birdie chances inside 12 feet and missed them all. He wound up with a 71, keeping alive his streak of never breaking 70 in the opening round at this elite event.
Mickelson hit iron off the 18th tee but it worked out beautifully with an approach to five feet for birdie to salvage a 73.
— The Associated Press