Sunshine and tranquil conditions turned the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am into paradise yesterday in Pebble Beach, Calif., and it was particularly ideal for big hitters Robert Garrigus and Dustin Johnson.
Garrigus reached the uphill, 529-yard seventh hole at Spyglass Hill with a 5-iron and holed a 50-foot eagle putt, then closed out his first round with consecutive birdies for a 7-under 65.
Johnson, another natural athlete with height and power, holed out a 9-iron from 151 yards for eagle on the first hole at Pebble Beach and played bogey-free for a 65.
Rich Beem isn’t particularly long, but he did practically nothing wrong.
The former PGA champion opened with three birdies and finishedwith two more en route to a 66. Also at 66 were Vaughn Taylor (Pebble Beach) and Charley Hoffman (Spyglass Hill).
Vijay Singh, in his first tournament since minor knee surgery after the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, opened with a 72 at Poppy Hills, while double major winner Padraig Harrington struggled to a 74 on the same course.
Phil Mickelson had a 72 at Spyglass.
WIE SHOOTS 66
In Kahuku, Hawaii, Michelle Wie made her much-anticipated debut as a full-fledged LPGA Tour member, birdieing her final three holes for a 6-under 66 on Thursday in the first round of the season-opening SBS Open.
The 19-year-old Wie was a stroke behind leader Angela Stanford. Wie was tied with rookie of the year Yani Tseng, who was ranked 133rd a year ago and is now No. 2. South Korea’s Kyeong Bae had 67, and Japan’s Momoko Ueda shot a 68.
The LPGA Tour announced a 10-year agreement with Golf Channel yesterday, making the network the tour’s exclusive cable home beginning in 2010.
WEBB GRABS LEAD
In Melbourne, Australia, two-time defending champion Karrie Webb shot a 7-under 66 to take the first-round lead in the Women’s Australian Open, while 12-year-old Oh Su-hyun became the youngest player ever to participate in the tournament.
S. KOREAN TEEN FIRES 62
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, South Korean teen star Noh Seung-yul shot a 10-under 62 to take a one-stroke lead in the Malaysian Open.
