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NEWS AND NOTES - First Round
By Dave Weissman, Columbus Wired

Steve Flesch was 6-under par and had already teed off from the 18th tee when play was halted due to thunderstorms. If it had to be suspended, he was glad that his ball was where it was. “Now that I got the tee shot and got it in the fairway, I think I’ve only got an 8-iron in,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to come out cold in the morning and hit that tee shot.”

The Bunkers have been the subject of discussion for weeks. Here are some of the thoughts of the pros.

“You know exactly what your’re going to get, and that’s not very much,” said Ted Purdy. “There’s just now way to spin the ball. There’s no way to stop them (balls hit to the green) once you get the ball rolling on the green. Somebody will have a nice tournament if they avoid the bunkers.”

“I haven’t been in one,” said Steve Flesch who avoided the bunkers all day. “But, I’ve just seen so many bad shots from the guys who are in them. The guys I’m playing with can’t get it inside 30 feet.”

‘We’re constantly looking to enhance the playability of the golf courses. There’s strategic trees being planted. And there’s been a lot of criticism with length. We’re trying to narrow fairways down. And this was just one thing. We kind of took it forward,” commented PGA Tour Tournament Director Slugger White on who’s idea it was (Jack Nicklaus or the Tour) to change the raking of the bunkers at the Memorial. He went on to say that this was a test and not all courses will adapt this guideline and would not say if and when it will be done again.

“It’s fair for everybody. Everybody has to play it.” - Phil Mickelson who is tied in third place with 17 others, 3-under par.

“A trap is a trap, it’s a hazard. You’re not supposed to be there. You know where they are, so don’t hit it there,” said Sean O’Hair who shot a 5-under par for second place.