• New coach sparks Baddeley at Sanderson Farms

  By Rusty Hampton, Special to PGATOUR.COM
  

  
  

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• Aaron Baddeley fired 8-under 64 in the opening round at CC of Jackson. (Michael Cohen/Getty Images)

JACKSON, Miss. – A few observations following Thursday’s opening round of the US PGA Tour's Sanderson Farms Championship at rain-soaked Country Club of Jackson, where Roberto Castro leads after a sizzling lift-clean-and-place course-record 10-under 62.
For more on Castro's 62, click here to read the Daily Wrap-up.

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1. NOT BAD AT ALL: The guy Greg Norman once compared to Jack Nicklaus has always carried the burden of great expectations along with this baggage: As good as his short game was, Aaron Baddeley was nearly equally as sketchy off the tee or from the fairways (when he hit them).
Maybe a coaching change will change everything else for Baddeley, who fired an 8-under 64 Thursday to share second place with Bryce Molder, two shots back of leader Roberto Castro.
After a split with Chris Como (Tiger Woods’ new coach), Baddeley signed up in July with Scott Hamilton, the “anti-Method Man,” who has implored him to go back to the basics.
“I’ve changed my swing a couple of times, looking for some consistency with my ball-striking, because I’ve always had a good short game,” said Baddeley, 34. “I’ve always been one of the better putters on TOUR.”
There have been bright spots – the Australian has won seven times in 15 years, three times on the PGA TOUR and four internationally – but he’s never been able to reach the level so many expected him to attain.
“I found little spots of (consistency), and then it would disappear,” Baddeley said.
Under Hamilton’s tutelage, he’s starting to see the light – “He’s really simplified it.”
So much so, that Baddeley is seeing results that have freed him up on the course.
“I feel probably the most relaxed, comfortable, positive I’ve been with my golf in five, six, seven years,” said Baddeley. “I’m just in a really nice spot right now.”
Baddeley’s short game was again brilliant on Thursday. He had 11 one-putt greens and took 23 putts overall. He also holed out from 38 yards on the short par-4 15th for eagle. He was still below average off the tee, hitting just seven of 14 greens, but he hit a few more greens than normal (13) and didn’t make a bogey.
“Overall, I’m very pleased and feeling very comfortable with where I’m at,” Baddeley said.

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2. THOSE GREENS WERE SPOT ON: Sometimes the greens are too fast, and sometimes they’re too slow. And other times, they're just right.
Take Thursday’s opening round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, for example. More than half the field broke par, and leader Roberto Castro rolled in 10 birdie putts in a course-record round of 62.
“The greens are a perfect speed for making putts,” said Bryce Molder, who had eight birdies and no bogeys and is tied for second at 8 under. “They’re not too hard to read … and they’re such a good speed.”
And that would be …
“They’re not fast enough that you’re going to have to worry too much about your speed. Sometimes we get firm and fast greens and they become troublesome.”
He’ll get no argument from Castro, who poured in a ton of 8- to 10-footers.
“These are some of the best greens on TOUR,” said Castro. “Last year, they had a little bit more rollout, so you had to be careful or you’d end up with 5 or 6 feet coming back. Good speed is you don’t feel like you have to hit it, but you’re never really worried about getting more than 3 or 4 feet past the hole. It’s a very comfortable speed.”

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

That was the one bonus birdie today. It was 3-iron. That’s just a hole you’re trying to make par and scoot to the next tee. - Roberto Castro on his birdie 2 at the 220-yard, par-3 seventh hole.

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3. MONDAY QUALIFIER: Two years ago, Martin Flores was in the final group on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Championship, ultimately finishing third to champion J.B. Holmes. This week, he had to play his way into the field for the Sanderson Farms Championship, shooting an 8-under 64 to win the Monday four-spot qualifier at Deerfield Golf Club outside of Jackson.
He has made the most of his opportunity so far at CC of Jackson, firing an opening-round, 5-under 67.
“Monday qualifiers are difficult,” said Flores, who lost his card after five years on TOUR. “When you get in, you try to make the best of your opportunity.”
Just how competitive have the Monday qualifiers become? Flores shot a 64 two weeks ago in the Monday qualifier for the Shriners Hospital for Children Open, and he didn’t get in the tournament.

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4. WAIT FOR ME: Canadian Graham DeLaet got some interesting news via text message about 15 minutes before teeing off on Thursday. His wife, pregnant with twins, is now set to deliver via a planned Cesarean section on Tuesday, meaning he can stay and play the event.
“Obviously I would have got on a flight as soon as possible if the news had been any different, because they were thinking it was going to possibly happen tomorrow,” said DeLaet. “So that’s nice. Hopefully I can have a nice weekend here and enjoy the offseason with the new family.”
DeLaet has made a good start on that goal, firing a 6-under 66 that included eight birdies.

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