The playoffs arrived on the PGA Tour and delivered an ideal first-round leader in Rory Sabbatini, a brash South African who loves the idea of going head-to-head and is not afraid to speak highly of his chances no matter who’s in his way.
Too bad Tiger Woods wasn’t around Thursday at The Barclays in Harrison, N.Y.
Sabbatini, whose best year in golf has been highlighted by barbs and challenges directed at the world’s No. 1 player, attacked a soft Westchester Country Club on his way to an 8-under-par 63 for a one-shot lead over Rich Beem and K.J. Choi.
The Barclays is the first of four tournaments that make up the PGA Tour Playoffs, a new concept aimed at rewarding those who play their best at the end of the year.
About the only thing that resembled real playoffs was that some of the top players brought their top games.
Even though Sabbatini is known for saying Woods looked as “beatable as ever,” he has tried to back up his words with strong play. A winner at the Colonial, he came into these playoffs at No. 13 in the world and No. 6 in the playoff standings.
“I would say I’m getting close to getting to the top level,” Sabbatini said. “I keep opening the door and keep slamming it on my foot every time I step through. It’s just a matter of time before I break through and get to that top level. That’s the way I look at it.”
Choi is No. 5 in the playoff points, courtesy of his victories at Muirfield Village and Congressional. He made eight birdies, offset by one bogey at No. 3, at a Westchester course that yielded an average score of 70.92, the lowest at this tournament since the tour began keeping such statistics in 1983.
Two other players among the top 10 also got off to a strong start – Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson, playing in New York for the first time since his 72nd hole collapse last year in the U.S. Open down the road at Winged Foot. They both had 67.
Woods is the No. 1 seed, but decided to sit out the first round.
Ernie Els, a two-time champion at Westchester, continued to emerge from his mediocre play with a 6-under 66 that put him in the group with Steve Flesch, Carl Pettersson and Brian Gay, who took only 20 putts in his round.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was Vijay Singh, who is at No. 2 and had a golden chance to move to the top with Woods absent.
But the three-time champion at Westchester struggled on the greens, starting with a four-putt at No. 14, and he wound up with a 75, his worst start at this event in five years.
LPGA: Before she gets too excited about her upcoming freshman year at Stanford, Michelle Wie will tee it up at the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore.
Wie, who has struggled with a left-wrist injury this season, is playing on a sponsor’s exemption, as is veteran Nancy Lopez.
The field also includes top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, who won the Canadian Women’s Open in Edmonton, Alberta, last week. It was her second straight victory and fifth of the season.
Wie missed the cut last week in Edmonton, shooting 75-74.
U.S. Amateur: Derek Fathauer made quick work of both of his opponents and is two wins from a berth in the finals of the U.S. Amateur in Daly City, Calif.
The Louisville senior defeated USA Walker Cup team member Chris Kirk 7 and 6 in the second round, then dominated stroke medalist Jason Kokrak 6 and 4 in the afternoon to advance to today’s quarterfinals.
Also advancing were Michael Thompson, Cheng Tsung Pan, Jhonattan Vegas, Casey Clendenon, Eddie Olson, Nick Taylor and Colt Knost.
European Tour: Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Taichi Teshima each shot a course-record 6 under 64 to share the lead after the first round of the Dutch Open in Zaandvoort, Netherlands.
