PLAY SUSPENDED AT MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT ON US PGA TOUR

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

DUBLIN, Ohio -- With a significant band of storms looming in the west, play has been suspended for the second time at the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance.
The horn blew at 4:49 p.m. local time. Players are being kept on the course in safe areas right now in the hope the weather system will weaken but that could change.

Watson, Stallings on the move

Scott Stallings and Bubba Watson are making the biggest moves Friday afternoon.
Stallings made the turn in 33 and moved to 5 under. He is tied with overnight leader Charl Schwartzel, who is 2 over through 11 holes, and Kyle Stanley, who has played 10 holes in even par.
Watson is also 3 under for the day through 11 holes and 4 under for the tournament. He's tied with his playing partner, Justin Rose, who is 2 for the day, and Robert Karlsson, who shot 71 in the second round.
The current cut line is 3 under -- and world No. 2 Rory McIlroy has put himself at that number after playing his first 11 holes in 3 under. McIlroy opened with a 78.
Bill Haas leads the Memorial at 9 under after shooting 67 on Friday while Matt Kuchar is three shots behind.
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STEWART AND NICOL MAKE CUT IN ALPS TOUR EVENT

 Ayrshire's Michael Stewart (68-73 for 141) and Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol (70-72 for 142) have made it through to the third and final round of this weekend's Alps Tour event, the quaintly named Friuli Venezia Giulia Open at Grado Golf Club.
But Ellon's Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) was the odd man out from Scotland. He shot 75-71 or 146 and missed the cut by three shots.
Stewart is lying joint 17th and Nicol, who plays out of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, is in joint 24th position behind theleader by two, Frenchman Raphal Marguery (65-68) on 11-under-par 133.
His closest challengers are a pair of Englishmen, Jason Palmer (70-65) and Ben Evans (69-66) on 135.

PETER WHITEFORD STAYS IN THE HUNT AS MATTEO PRODUCES MORE MAGIC

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Matteo Manassero continued his love affair with the back nine at Bro Hof Slott to take a two-shot halfway lead at the Nordea Masters in Sweden
The 20-year-old Italian, who last weekend became the BMW PGA Championship’s youngest winner, had five birdies in his inward 31 for a 65 that left him 13 under for the week.
Ten of those shots gained have come on the back nine, where Manassero registered five birdies on day two.
In-form Finn Mikko Ilonen, a runner-up in China and Morocco recently, needed only 30 strokes coming home in his 63 to lie second on 11 under, with Kirkcaldy’s Pete Whiteford third on ten under after a 63 of his own in the morning session.
Manassero already had three birdies and a bogey on his card when he struck his tee shot to four feet at the 11th for another gain.
The only player to win three European Tour titles as a teenager then recovered from a poor drive to birdie the par five 12th, played a wedge to five feet at the long next and holed from 12 feet at the next for four birdies in a row.
The scoring did not stop there, the World Number 28 and Race to Dubai leader firing his tee shot to six feet at the island green signature 17th.
“It was nice after the start to be able to come back and shoot another great score, so I’m glad the way the day has gone,” said Manassero.
“I like that nine – they are holes where you can gain or lose many shots, and if you can gain it’s a big gap. The conditions are absolutely perfect.”
Ilonen had two hat-tricks of birdies, finishing his superb nine under par round with an approach to five feet at the last.
Meanwhile Australian Andrew Dodt made a piece of European Tour history as he became the first player to have two holes-in-one in a single round.
Dodt aced the seventh and 11th but remarkably still needed a birdie at the last to squeeze into the weekend on the limit mark of 142, his 65 sneaking him through on the mark at two under after an opening 77.
“The shot at the 11th, my second, kick-started things,” said Dodt, who was given a box of champagne by the tournament sponsors. “I made a few more birdies in between, then a couple of bogeys and I was heading the wrong way when I got to the seventh, our 16th hole.
“It was an eight iron, felt a little bit heavy at the start, but right on line and it went in. I can’t get my head around it – I’m pretty proud to be the first one to do it.
“I had seven before today. The 11th I was pretty still and it was the perfect club for a six iron, little draw, and it was slam dunk straight in the hole.
“I didn’t putt very well today so I’m glad I was able to hole with a long club!”
Ballantine’s Championship runner-up Whiteford turned in 33, dropped his only shot of the day at the tenth then birdied the 12th and 13th.
A pitch-in eagle at the par five 15th sparked a remarkable finish, and the 32 year old Fifer did not need to hole a putt longer than five feet as he birdied the 16th, 17th and 18th after some marvellous approach play.
"I have been swinging pretty well over the past month but today was special," said Whiteford.
"It was near-perfect conditions and the golf course is in great shape."
Dutchman Joost Luiten sits fourth on nine under following a 67, with Jonas Blixt and 2011 winner Alex Noren leading the home challenge on eight under alongside first round joint-leader Pablo Larrazábal.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72)
131 Matteo Manassero (Italy) 66 65.
133 Mikko Ilonen (Finland) 70 63.
134 Peter Whiteford (Scotland) 71 63.
135 Joost Luiten (Holland) 68 67.
136 Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 70 66, Alex Noren (Sweden) 67 69, Pablo Larrazabal (Spain) 66 70.
137 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 70 67, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 70 67, Rikard Karlberg (Sweden) 69 68, Jamie Donaldson (Wales) 67 70.

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
139 David Drysdale 71 68, Gary Orr 68 71 (T16)
140 Chris Doak 72 68, Richie Ramsay 70 70 (T27)
141 Paul Lawrie 70 71 (T43)
142 Craig Lee (72 70 (T62).

MISSED THE CUT (142 and better qualified)
143 Scott Henry 72 71, Marc Warren 71 72
145 Callum Macaulay 73 72

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FOUR SCOTS BEAT EUROPR0 TOUR CUT BUT WELL OFF THE PACE

Four Scots - Elliot Saltman, Mark Kerr, Paul Doherty and Neil Fenwick - had made it through to the third and last round of the PGA EuroPro Tour's Kerry London Championship at Burhill Golf Club, Surrey.

Although none of them has a real chance of winning the £10,000 jackpot. That looks a straight fight between two Englishman on eight-under-par 136: Richard Wallis (Walmer and Kingsdown) (66-70) and Nick McCarthy (Moortown) (68-68). They are three shots clear of the field.

Saltman shot 72-71 and Mark Kerr 73-70, both for 143, three shots inside the limit mark.

Docherty had a pair of 74s for 144 and Fenwick made it with nothing to spare on 146 with rounds of 76 and 70.

The Scots who missed our were Mark Rae (76-73) on 149; John Gallagher (75-75), Steven Mackie (76-74) and  Paul Shields (77-73), all three on 150; Andrew Rollo (Moray) (75-76) on 152, Gavin Dear (78-75) on 153, Iain Stoddart (79-76) and Zack Saltman (79-76), both on 155. 
Bringing up the rear was former British boys champion Jordan Findlay with a pair of 80s for 160.

ROSS KELLETT JOINS McLEARY, STEWART IN LAST CHALLENGE TOUR ROUND

SCOTSWATCH ON CHALLENGE TOUR
Jamie McLeary and Duncan Stewart have definitely qualified for the final round of the Fred Olsen Spanish Challenge at La Gomera on the Canary Islands.
But Ross Kellett is walking a tightrope over the last three holes.
He needs to par them at worst to make the cut right on the limit mark of 142.
LATER NEWS: Kellett made the cut with a 71 for 142 but his par finish was not quite as he planned ... birdie at the 16th, birdie at the 17th and a double bogey 6 at the 18th (which, of course, adds up to level par for the last three holes!)
Edinburgh-based McLeary shot 72-68 for two-under-par 140.
Grantown-on-Spey's Stewart shot 68-73 to make it with a shot to spare on 141.
But it's the end of the road as far as this tournament is concerned for Wallace Booth (two 72s for 144), Jack Doherty (73-75 for 148), Lloyd Saltman (77-76) and Steven O'Hara (76-77), both on 143 and joint 113th in this low-scoring competition.
American Brooke Koepka (64-66) joined France's Edouard Dubois (63-67) in the lead at 12-under-par 130. 


NEWS RELEASE FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Brooks Koepka’s fine form continued as the American joined France’s Edouard Dubois at the top of the leaderboard courtesy of a round of 66 on the second day of the Fred Olsen Challenge de España.
Thanks chiefly to his victory in the Montecchia Golf Open presented by POLAROID, Koepka currently leads the Rankings in his first full season on the Challenge Tour, and the 23 year old is showing no signs of slowing down as he mixed eight birdies – including four in a row from the 15^th hole – with three bogeys in a superb display at Tecina Golf, in the Canary Islands.

That moved Koepka to 12 under par alongside overnight leader Dubois, who signed for a round of 67 which included an eagle two at the ninth hole, where he drove the green.

Koepka said: “I got off to a bad start with three putts at the first, and my putting just wasn’t there early on. I missed a bunch of short putts, but I was battling well. I’ve got a few issues to sort out on the greens. I’m normally a good putter but I don’t know what happened today, it could be the speed. But I feel I’m playing well enough to win, I just have to try to find my form on the greens.
“I love playing on the Challenge Tour, it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great experience, you’ve got guys who have played on The European Tour for years, and you learn a lot from them. 
"We may not have the perfect weather as in the States, or the same flat golf courses we have there, but that is boring. I prefer to play in cold, hot, windy conditions on very different golf courses, from links to parkland. My goal is to play on The European Tour.”
Dubois has previous European Tour experience, having graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2011, but the Frenchman struggled to stamp his authority on the top tier last year, finishing in 173^rd place in The Race to Dubai.

After some soul-searching and intense practice over the winter the 24 year old has rediscovered his form, and will head into the weekend in a strong position to capture his third Challenge Tour title.
He said: “I played well again today, it was as windy as yesterday but I controlled my ball flight well. I was four under par after nine holes, which was the same start as yesterday, but then the wind really picked up and made life tougher.
“But it was still a good day, and it was important to get close to the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend. Putting was the best part of my game today, but all of my game was in pretty good shape. I’m ready for the weekend, I just have to relax and try to play my best golf.”
Dubois’ fellow Frenchman Julien Guerrier currently occupies third place on eight under par after signing for a round of 70, whilst the Spanish trio of Luis Claverie (66), Alfredo Garcia-Heredia (65) and Jesus Legarrea (70) share fourth place on seven under par alongside England’s Daniel Brooks (66), Belgian Pierre Relecom (68) and Switzerland’s Damian Ulrich (68).

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

CHRIS ROBB KEEPS HOME FLAG FLYING IN TOP TEN AT SOUTHERNESS

                         Chris Robb in action on his way to winning the NE District Open last summer.
                                                  Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
North-east District Open champion Chris Robb from Banchory gamely kept the home flag flying in the top 10 of the Carrick Neill Scottish men's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Southerness Golf Club on the shores of the Solway Firth.
Just home at the end of his third year at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, former Scottish schoolboys champion Robb, a member at Northern Open venue Meldrum House, shot a par-matching 69 to be joint fourth among those chasing the leader.
Lincolnshire man Nathan Kimsey (Woodhall Spa) opened up a clear lead with an excellent three-under-par 66, which, astonishingly, included a double bogey 6 at the 12th. He had six birdies in all, coming at regular intervals in halves of 33.
Only three men, by the way, in this star-studded field of 144 players from all points in the compass broke par on the day.
Robb, who won the North-east District championship at Newmachar during his summer holidays from college last year, birdied the first, long fifth, 11th and long 18th but the short holes cost him dearly. He bogeyed three par-3s, the fourth, seventh and 15th, and also dropped a shot at the 13th.
Other Scots among the leading 15 were Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), whose  70 included an eagle 3 at the 18th and Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire County), also on one-over after birdieing the 18th to half a run of bogeys over the closing holes. Veteran John Mathers (Haggs Castle) also did well to return a 70.
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), one of the home favourites, could do no better than a 72, but that was one shot better than the World No 2 from Australia, Brady Watt.
Scottish match-play champion Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), home from San Diego University for the summer, had a 74.
James White (Lundin) had a bad day with a 79 and young Greig Marchank will be wishing he could start again after posting an 81.
Fraser McKenna (Balmore) who has been playing well this season is unlikely to beat the halfway cut after an opening round of 82.
And there on 88 was a name from the past ... Ben Shamash of Kirkcudbright.
Glenn Campbell will remember him because he beat Ben in the final of the Scottish amateur championship over this same Southerness course in 2005. Shamash could play to a high standard then. He took Campbell to the 37th in the final and claimed some very good scalps along the way.

CARRICK NEILL SCOTTISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY  CHAMPIONSHIP
Southerness Golf Club, Solway Firth.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 69
66 N Kimsey (Woodhall Spa).
68 R O'Donovan (Lucan), G Porteous (Bamburgh Castle).
69 P Spraggs (Stowmarket), C Sharvin (Ardglass), H Tomlinson (Royal Lytham), D McElroy (Ballymena), C Robb (Meldrum House), J Smith (Bowood).
70 J Mathers (Haggs Castle), H Porteous (SAf), L Tomlinson (W Lancs), B Kinsley (St Andrews), V Badhwar (Aust), K McClung (Wigtownshire Co), K Gray (Northmberland).
71 N Holman (Woodlands), J Ross (Royal Burgess0, A McDougall
(Elderslie), P Lockwood (Hessle), J McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), C Ross (Kirkhill), G Stevenson (Whitecraigs), C Shinkwin (Moor Park), M Moseley (Carmarthen), M Clark (Kilmacolm), J Storey (Alnmouth).
72 P Kinnear (Formby), G Robertson (Glenbervie), D Keddie (Belton Park), K Holmes (Hunstanton), M Eggenberger (Swi), J Bower (Meltham), T Tree (Worthing), A Dunton (McDonald Ellon), D Brandt-Richards (Aust).
73 O Carr (Heswall), S Crighton (Aberdour), L Bem (Fra), B Watt (Aust), S Dodds (Coventry), B Neil (Blairgowrie), J Dean (Lindrick), D Kay (Dunbar), C MacNeal (Prestwick), S Binning (Ranfurly Castle), J Savage (Cawder), S Borrowman (Dollar).
74 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co), T Watson (SAf), G Forrest
(Craigielaw), S Spence (Irvine), T Sincott (Aust), C Howie (Peebles), E Scott (St Andrews), F Moore (Glenbervie), B Loughrey (Wrag Barn), E Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), M Rocchi (Fra), S Maxwell (Windyhill), J McColl (Scotscraig), C Chalmers (Cawder).

SELECTED SCORES
75 A Sutherland (Ladybank).

76 D Thompsett (Aboyne), J Hendrick (Pollok), S Gibson (Southerness), N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen),E Bradley (Mount Ellen).
77 K Duncan (Cruden Bay), A Blaney (Liberton), M Daily (Erskine).
78 R Bell (Downfield), D Watson (Peterhead), M Smith (Royal Troon), K Godsman (Moray), L Allan (Alva), J Wright (Forres).
79 A Culverwell (Dunbar), C Syme (Dumfries and Co), J White (Lundin), J Duff (Newmachar), J Bunch (Prestwick).
80 D Wilson (Troon Welbeck).
81 G Marchbank (Dumfries and Co), J Rhind (Kingsfield).
82 S Stewart-Cation (The Duke's), F McKenna (Balmore).
84 T Spencer (Meldrum House).
88 B Shamash (Kirkcudbright).

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CALEY BEAT ROYAL ABERDEEN IN PENNANT MATCH AT KINGS LINKS

Caledonian beat Royal Aberdeen 3-2 in an Aberdeen and District Pennant League match, sponsored by the Cults Hotel, at the Kings Links on Thursday evening.
Details (Caledonian players listed first):
Graeme Meade and Roy Pirie lost to Donald Macandrew, junior and Steve Buchan 2 and 1.
Scott Allan and Sammy Smith halved with Allan Reid and Euan Laird.
Barry Reid and Stewart Finnie bt Nick Macandrew and Roger Laird 2 and 1.
Alan Doig and David Oliver bt Willie Park and Grant Joss 1 hole.
Walter Ross and Craig Gerrie halved with Iain Middleton and Donald Macandrew, senior.

IRISH SENIOR MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Michael Quirke (Doneraile) is the Irish Seniors Amateur Open champion after winning a three-hole aggregate play-off at Malone Golf Club against American Bev Hargraves, whose final round 72 closed a four-shot gap between the pair that existed before the final round.

Both finished on nine-over 222, two shots ahead of Tom Tyrell (The Heath).
Defending champion Adrian Morrow completed a creditable defence of his title with a final round 76 leaving him in the top-10.

Edzell's Keith Bruce, joint second overnight, faded out of contention with a final round of 82 for 231 - nine shots behind the play-off participants.

IRISH SENIOR MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY
CHAMPIONSHIP
MALONE GC

 Par 213 (3x71)
CSS: 74 (reduction only), 74 (reduction only)

222 M Quirke (Doneraile) 70 76 76 (Winner after three-hole play-off), B Hargraves (USA) 75 75 72

224 T Tyrrell (The Heath) 74 75 75

226 R McDowell (Royal Belfast) 78 74 74

228 A Stracey (Eng) 77 75 76, R Sharp (Mourne) 76 75 77, M Kelly (Killeen) 76 74 78, T Patterson (Eng) 75 80 73

229 A Morrow (Portmarnock) 80 73 76, D Lane (Eng) 78 77 74

230 T Hayes (K Club) 82 72 76, M Ahern (Skerries) 81 76 73

231 D Cameron (Eng) 79 77 75, M Coote (Tralee) 79 75 77, J Sutton (Isle of Man) 79 74 78, K Bruce (Edzell) 73 76 82

232 A Carman (Eng) 80 75 77, T Goode (Lucan) 78 82 72, D O'Donovan (Bandon) 78 75 79, A Pierse (Tipperary) 76 81 75

233 B O'Malley (Royal Dublin) 79 77 77, T Gray (Jersey) 78 79 76, B Stewart (Tulliallan) 77 75 81, R Brooker (Skerries) 76 79 78, A Lilley (Ballyclare) 76 78 79

234 D Murphy (Kinross) 78 78 78, G McGimpsey (Bangor) 76 82 76, M Eager (Lucan) 76 77 81, B Donlon (Birr) 74 84 76

235 H Smyth (Mourne) 81 79 75, J Ambridge (En) 81 77 77, E McMenamin (Ballybofey) 79 78 78, B Brennan (Malone) 78 82 75, H Mackeown (Portmarnock) 78 80 77, J Carroll (Bandon) 77 82 76

236 G MacDonald (Callander) 82 74 80, R Berry (Rossmore) 74 83 79

237 E Crawford (Mourne) 82 79 76, I Southgate (Eng) 80 76 81, A McLure (Eng) 78 81 78

238 T Cleary (Cork) 78 78 82, D Conway (Portmarnock) 77 81 80

239 N Patterson (Milltown) 79 78 82

240 J Kinloch (Cardross) 82 78 80, D Morris (Limerick) 78 82 80, B Campbell (Eng) 76 81 83

241 B Mills (Clandeboye) 84 77 80, B Kissock (Bangor) 81 79 81, S Fawcett (Eng) 78 82 81

242 D Kempner (USA) 83 77 82, J Johnston (USA) 80 80 82

 

SCOTTISH NON-QUALIFIERS 

161 B Grieve (King James VI) 78 83165 B Mitchell (Scotland) 85 80

168 J Paton (Kirkintilloch) 87 81, D McCart (Castlerock) 85 83

169 B Edgar (Blackpool NS) 85 84170 I Stewart (Kilmarnock Barassie) 87 83

172 I Jeen (St Andrews) 87 85

173 P Kinloch (Cardross) 88 85

 

  ends

 

SCHWARTZEL LEADS BY ONE AS McILROY HEADS FOR EARLY EXIT

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
DUBLIN, Ohio -- Charl Schwartzel made sure one hole didn't ruin an entire round Thursday in the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance.

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Schwartzel hit the ball so consistently well at Muirfield Village that the former Masters champion twice had stretches of four straight birdies. And when he made a double bogey with an 8-iron in hand and his ball on a tee toward the end of the round, he got rid of that bad taste with one last birdie for a 7-under 65.
Schwartzel had a one-shot lead over Scott Piercy, who went from smashing it to playing it safe, and he was six shots clear of five-time winner Tiger Woods.
Woods hit the ball well enough to be much closer, though he missed too many birdie chances and didn't make up any ground on the par 5s.
"That's probably the highest score I could have shot," Woods said after his 1-under 71.
Woods was one shot worse than 53-year-old Fred Couples, the Presidents Cup captain at Muirfield Village this fall, and one shot better than 14-year-old Guan Tianlang.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, might be headed for another short week at the tournament Jack Nicklaus built. After opening with a birdie, McIlroy didn't putt nearly well enough to atone for some loose shots.
McIlroy four-putted the par-3 12th for a double bogey, had a three-putt bogey on No. 7 and ended his round by missing a 4-foot birdie putt. That gave him a 78
"I don't really have many explanations for this," McIlroy said.
Schwartzel played in the morning, when the slick greens were still smooth, and he made 10 birdies in his round. Most of them were in the 10-foot range, though he picked up a bonus with a 25-foot putt down a slight ridge on the 16th. As well as he played, he thought a great round might turn into just a good one with one swing. 
His 8-iron on the par-3 eighth hole drifted right and caught the downward slope of a bunker. The South African tried to put a little more spin on the difficult shot and wound up sending it over the green. He chipped past the hole to about 8 feet and missed that to take double bogey.
What saved him was a 12-foot birdie putt down the hill on his final hole, allowing him to leave the course with a smile. That's not to suggest that if he had made par on the last hole he would have been ready to retire from the game.
"It would still be OK," Schwartzel said. "It's really when you've played that well and you're thinking you get these few rounds a year where you really strike it well and you're making lots of birdies and you walk off with your 8, 9 under. And today was one of those where I really did flush it. And you're think maybe another birdie, and then get knocked back with a little 8-iron making double."
Woods, trying to win five times before the U.S. Open for the first time in his PGA TOUR career, looked as though he might get much closer to the lead despite having to lay up on both par 5s on the front nine and failing to make birdie.
He hit 5-wood into about 25 feet for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 11th, and then spent the last few hours giving away shots. He made bogey from the back bunker on the par-3 12th, missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 13th, and chopped up the par-5 15th despite getting a break off the tee when his ball hit a tree and went back into the fairway. He still had to lay up, but a simple wedge went some 40 feet long to the back collar, and Woods had to make a 5-foot putt just to save bogey.
"Didn't capitalize on a few opportunities I had," Woods said. "Short irons, I didn't hit them close enough. All in all, it was a pretty high score."
It wasn't nearly as high as what Nick Watney (82) and Nicolas Colsaerts (80) had on their cards. Woods plays in the morning for the second round and should be able to at least get closer to the top going into the weekend.
Bill Haas and Matt Kuchar each had a 68, the best score of the afternoon.
Piercy is one of the longer hitters on TOUR, so it would seem his game would be a good fit for the Memorial. He hasn't had much luck, so he decided to scale back off the tee and used 3-wood where he typically would hit driver to take it over the bunkers. Piercy had a 66, his best score in 10 rounds at Muirfield Village.
Josh Teater, Russell Henley and Kyle Stanley were at 67, while Charlie Wi, Matt Jones and Michael Thompson shot 69.
Piercy hit one of the longest drives on the 18th hole last year, leaving him a flip wedge to the green. Muirfield Village is a big golf course, with some of the widest fairways on TOUR and thick rough -- it should be thick for fairways that generous. But hitting driver never really worked for Piercy, so he decided to go with 3-wood, and he stuck with his plan. He still had relatively short irons into the green, and he knew he was onto something when he ran off five straight birdies on the front nine.
"I thought I'd hit a lot of 3-woods today and open up the fairways and allow me to get at some pins and knock them on the greens and make some putts," he said. "Maybe I'm getting older."
His 3-wood still goes plenty far. Piercy cut off a quarter-inch from the shaft, and found he was hitting it about 290 yards.
Couples, meanwhile, was pleasantly surprised by his round of 70, mainly because he had a great round on the greens, taking 25 putts and making a couple of 8- to 10-foot par putts look easy. Then again, Couples plays with such a silky rhythm that he rarely looks stressed.
He enjoys playing with Woods, and the bonus was having former PGA champion Keegan Bradley in the group. He had never played with Bradley and had no idea he hit the ball with such power. Bradley hit consecutive tee shots on the 10th and 11th holes close to 350 yards, leaving him a 6-iron into the par-5 11th.
"Most guys lay up with a 6-iron," Couples said.
Even so, Bradley could do no better than 71, not a bad start for an afternoon round.

ROUND 1 LEADERBOARD
Par 70
Players from USA unless stated
63 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
66 Scott Piercy
67 Josh Teater, Russell Henley, Kyle Stanley, Charlie Wi (South Korea)
68 Matt Kuchar, Bill Haas.

69 Matt Jones, Michael Thompson, Robert Karlsson (Sweden), Chris Stroud.

SELECTED SCORES
70 Justin Rose (England), Fred Couples (T13)
71 Martin Laird (Scotland), Bubba Watson (T27)
72 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) (T41)
73 Ernie Els (South Africa), Luke Donald (England) (T58)
75 Brian Davis (England), Jim Furyk (T86).
76 Lee Westwood (England) (T96).
78 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Shane Lowry (Ireland) (T107)
80 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) (119th).
82 Nick Watney.
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