EDISON, N.J. (AP) — Harrison Frazar will take an important lead into The Barclays. About all anyone wanted to talk about was Irene. Any momentum there was to get the FedEx Cup playoffs started was dampened Thursday by water that stopped the first round for nearly three hours, then by the sullen prospect of Hurricane Irene. That ambition left players and officials wondering not just when, but how and if they finish the opening playoff event.
With the early starters — who didn't tee off until mid-afternoon — Frazar took the lead with a barrage of birdies on the rain-softened Plainfield Country Club. One of the few times he was in trouble, he chipped in from behind the first green to turn bogey into birdie.
Vijay Singh recovered from a double bogey on his opening hole for a 48 and was joined by Jonathan Byrd. Adam Scott was at 66. Chip Watney, the No. 1 seed going into the $10 million FedEx Cup, was among those at 67.
"I would like to get it done today," Frazar said. "With the way the weather is coming, I didn't want to sit around ... and play way down the road or even a lot Wednesday. It's probably going to be a long week by the time this thing ends."
Slugger White, the tour's second in command of operations, was confident that everyone in the field could at least make the cut. That would give the tournament a chance to finish 36 holes by Friday, provided the expected wind and rain holds off long enough to finish the first round Thursday and start the second.
No one was decisive what was available after that, or if anything. White ruled out the 36-hole Wednesday.
The dilemma is that Plainfield already has received close to 12 inches of rain over the last week and can't take much more.
"If we get four or five inches here, we're probably under water," White said.
That is said to be some time the 125 players who qualified might begin having nightmares about golf's richest payoff — $1.2 million to the champion after four playoff events over the next five weeks. Officials again stenciled "PGA Tour 2010-11 Season" onto one hill, much like what is seen at midfield in football.
It is a question the grass couldn't wash away.
But the Deutsche Bank Championship last year braced for monuments of Hurricane Earl to possibly wash significant portions of the course outside Boston, and it never materialized.
Bad weather is not uncommon in golf, and the tour has a plan to simply dwindle down to liv divots if there is no way to finish on Monday. But this is not a common event. Only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup standings after The Barclays advance to the second round.
What might help is that the next event, the Deutsche Bank Championship, doesn't start until Labor Day weekend. Only PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has the authority to allow for a Wednesday finish if it comes to that.
"I don't think anybody has any clue," Charley Hoffman said after his 66. "I'm sure everybody wants to play 72 holes out here, and we know the match (next week) won't start until Monday. So I'm sure the group can commit to go to Tuesday if need be. But if this place gets 15 inches of rain two weeks from now, I'm not sure how playable the greens will be come Thursday."
There was so much speculation about the weather that Watney said he heard the rumor that Manhattan might be evacuated. Left unsaid was how he heard such a thing while being too focused on his game to verify any such reports.
He found it amusing, however.
"That would be an incredible sight to evacuate Long Island," he said. "Where would they all go? That's like a dozen trillion people."
Everyone else simply kept plodding along, handling a petition that was beginning to gain traction and excitement until they returned from a weather delay and tried to figure out how much the ball was spinning when it landed on the green.
The tournament was a sellout even before it began, and despite the dreary weather, there was plenty of drama. With the tees moved up on the 18th hole, making it play 285 yards from the hill, a lone eagle came from Troy Matteson, who pitched in from 40 feet. Steven Bowditch hit his tee shot to within 5 feet, only to three-putt for a par.
Singh, who hit a remarkable shot into 6 feet on the par-3 17th for birdie, went to the front of the green on the 18th and pitched to 8 feet to cap off his run of back-to-back birdies. That atoned for driving into the water on the par-3 next.
Still, White said the tour wouldn't decide how to proceed until they know the forecast for Monday.
"I really don't want to speculate individually on quite a scenario today," he said. "There are so many scenarios around."
DIVOTS: N.J. Ryder was not in the pro-am Wednesday, but he still made good use of his time. He went to True Blue Golf Club in southern New Jersey to play on the eve of The Barclays. ... Wally Perez withdrew after opening with a 79, although his status remains secure heading into next week in Boston. ... Rounds started under sunshine, but players were told they could lift, clean and place their balls in the fairway because of the approaching weather.
Lovers tells Woods he's on Presidents Cup team
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) — Fred Couples has informed Tiger Woods that he has chosen the world's No. 1 player for the 12-man Presidents Cup team. Couples needed the moment out of the controversy over whether Woods would be on the team, announcing it is now a done deal.
"I've really told him he'll be on the team," Couples said before the final round in winning the Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. "There's no reason for me to wait until Sept. 26 to pick Tiger. He's been the best player in the world forever."
Five players automatically qualified for the team based on points accumulated over the last two years. Couples then was given two captain's picks to round out his squad, which will compete against a team of non-European International players at Royal Melbourne in Australia Nov. 14-20.
Woods, who is 28th on the Presidents Cup list, had a long summer layoff because of pain in his left knee and Achilles' tendon. He played in two recent tournaments, finishing 37th in the Bridgestone Invitational earlier this month and then missing the cut a week later at the PGA Championship.
Woods wrote on his website earlier this week that he had conversations with Couples about playing on the team and that "of course, I have to be healthy" to compete in Australia.
"Is he playing well right now? No. (But) he almost won (The Barclays) four weeks ago so you don't do that by playing bad golf," Couples said. "For me, when you're the best player in the world for 10 straight years and you're not on a team, something's wrong.
"Other people may have their opinion, but as far as I know Greg Haas and myself are the captains and we want them on our team."
Haas is Couples' assistant captain for these matches.
Couples, first unaware that Woods had not qualified this week's FedEx Cup, texted him to get another event in. Woods' next scheduled appearance isn't before the Australian Open the week after the Cup, though he said he could add a PGA Tour event to his schedule.
"He answered that. I'm pretty sure he'll get in another one," Couples said. "That's enough for me. I know the worst thing he wants to do is block himself. I think he'll be ready to play. Does that mean he's going to get out there and win every position? No, I can't expect that. But I expect him to be sharp and able to play. I'd be surprised if he's not."
Couples has asked all his trade partners to play in the Australian Open to hone their games prior to the Presidents Cup. The Melbourne Open is Nov. 10-13 at The Lakes near Sydney.
On the list of players on the edge of making the Presidents Cup team is Bill Haas, son paired with Jay Haas. He is 10th with a month to shake up some of the top 25 before the Oct. 26 selection night. Matt Furyk and Rickie Fowler are 11th and 12th.
"I'm not sure how you can pick apart anyone for choosing Tiger Woods. If he goes there and doesn't play well I'll be surprised. I have a blending for them. He has to be on the team," Couples said. "You'll find guys that are 11, 12, 13 who are having phenomenal years. And you know they're suggestions. You could take the easy way out and go with someone through 12. I wouldn't dream if it works sometimes. I do deem that's the easy solution."
McIlroy claims wrist OK, confirms relationship with Wozniacki
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy says a nagging wrist injury won't keep him out of the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship in two weeks in Wentworth, England, and confirmed that he is dating top-ranked tennis player Caroline Wozniacki.
McIlroy, visiting the new Haven Open golf tournament with Wozniacki, got a massage on his ailing right forearm Thursday afternoon after spending the morning hitting balls at the TPC River Highlands in nearby Cromwell.
He said the wrist feels about 85 percent healthy and improving. He strained what trainers called a wrist plantar fascia injury on the first hole of the PGA Championship earlier this month when he laid a tree branch across his swing.
"It's not really my wrist, it's more in area into the front of the elbow," he was quoted saying. "It's OK. It's not 100 percent."
He also confirmed he expects to play "maybe 17, 18 events" on the PGA Tour next year.
"Personally, I do my best golfing over here and I just want to give more reasons over here," he said.
He didn't rule out playing in the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, though he said the tournament's scheduling — the week after the U.S. Open — makes that difficult.
He said he still likes to see Wozniacki win her own U.S. Open, calling the prospect analysts equally having that world-class, "very cool."
He also told reporters it would be great to refer to her as his girlfriend, ending one of sports' longest-held secrets. He watched her second-round match Wednesday, and has been seen courtside for months.
"The main reason why it's continuing so well mainly is that we've got a whole lot in common," he said. "Of course, sports, but we've been just about in the same situation from a young age so we can talk about things that probably a lot of 21-year-olds, 22-year olds can't talk about. It's great to have someone that almost knows what you're going through."
-- Billy Eaton-Robb
LPGA
Miyazato, Lindberg head Canadian Can Open
MIRABEL, Quebec (AP) — Ai Miyazato and Pernilla Lindberg shot 7-under 65s in soggy conditions Thursday to share the lead in the Canadian Can Open, while Michelle Wie was two strokes back in her title defense.
Canadian Samantha Richdale opened with a 66 at Hillsdale Gold Club, and Wie was a stroke further back along with Angela Stanford, Stat mi Hyun Kim, Song-Hee Kim and Jenny Shin.
Wie, using a long putter, holed a 60-footer for birdie on the par-5 fifth and closed with a 45-foot birdie putt on her final hole. She won last year at St. Charles in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Miyazato earned a Evian Masters in July. The Japanese star has won five LPGA Tour titles recently.
"I did have goals to be achieved by this year but apparently there was the earthquake and it was kind of affecting me sometimes in the game," she said. "But as endSummer I started feeling good with returning to my game and I could win from Evian, so I am feeling very comfortable now."
She completed her bogey-free round by holing an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
"I had made a very good sense with our pace so looking back I had a lot of birdie opportunities," Miyazato said. "My distance control became great and the putting as well."
Lindberg, from Sweden, had six birdies and a bogey.
"I was striking it great, rarely missed a fairway, and felt easy with my irons," said Lindberg, who has missed all five of six cuts this season. "But the best part was my putting."
Wie started with the belly putter following the U.S. Can Open in August.
"You know, I like my putter," she said. "In the last two weeks I've been toying with different grips and different ways to do it. But it's feeling OK and I have to stop tinkering with it. Putting is something that I need to improve. Yes, making two long putts helps your score. Hopefully, I can make a couple more of them the next couple days."
Richdale was in her second full year on the tour.
"Just over a month ago I went to see Butch Harmon to work on my swing and now, the caddie (Tom Konopacki) and I just sort of survey some beautiful shots and I made them happen," Richdale said. "It's special. I made my friend (Josh) in the mall, which was really fun. We had great weather in the evening."
Jocelyne Bourassa (1973 LPGA Canadienne) is the only Canadian to win an LPGA Tour event in the United States.
Top-ranked Yani Tseng opened with a 71. Canadian Lorie Kane also shot a 71, and Safeway Classic winner Suzann Pettersen, the Norwegian selected Sunday at Black Bear Golf Club to captain Europe's Solheim Cup team, a 73. Pettersen won the 2009 event at Priddis Greens in Alberta and tied for second last year.
Heavy weather in a hurry finally left the course wet enough that players were allowed to lift and clean their balls from the fairways. Dark clouds installed over the course from time to time, and there were short, hard bursts of rain.
Champions
Boeing Classic flies bring an end to ...again soon with extended deal
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) — It had connecting the Champions Tour for Fred Couples to have a chance to regularly play where he grew up.
As long as his balky back stays balanced enough, he'll have the opportunity to play in the fashionable Seattle region at least through 2014.
"I'm just always ardent an extra opportunity, because I've truly said a million due times," Couples said this. "It's special to play at your home town. In my 20 years, I've truly literally PGA here, the NEC and the two most recently, that's it."
Couples may without post function as star if the Boeing Classic shirts away from Private at TPC Snoqualmie Form. And the Champions Tour coagulated their deals remain on the events schedule in the North American by affirming Thursday afternoon a fashionable two-year ext that can nourish event playing at the appropriate course in relation to 35 miles east of the city center Seattle at least through 2014.
It does not take only adept playing golf event in the state of Washington and has become a favorite not only for the spectators — last spring's event drew around 81,000 for the week — but for the players meantime.
"You can tell that by the quality of the field we've had here recently. The strength of field perspective is right up there among the best this year," Champions Tour commissioner Ron Drapeau said. "It's actually a good location. I cannot think we enjoy a smarter atmosphere for all our entire tour, (with the exception of) possibly Pebble Beach and the Pacific Ocean and the Monterrey Peninsula."
That is agreeable news to Couples, who spent his childhood years around Seattle and has played only one number of times in full calling before his local fans. 2009 was his best performance — although disappointing in the end — as Couples finished second at the U.S. Senior Open at local Sahalee Country Club, and then had third his first time that playing that tournament.
Either times were won by Bernhard Langer, they remain especial recalls for Couples.
"It was one of the most fun I ever had playing," Couples said of last year's Senior Open.
Although he was thrilled to see family, Couples also made news this week by launching that Padraig harrington will be part of the Presidents Cup team that plays in November at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Couples, the team captain, said he has informed Woods that he is on the team.
"Can he playing well now? No. (But) he know nothing of acquired (The Barclays) four weeks ago so you don't do that by playing bad golf," Couples said. "In my opinion, if you are the top person in the world for 15 years and you're not on a team, there is something wrong.
Besides playing at home and his duties as Presidents Cup captain, Couples is also on the roll emulating receiving the Senior PGA Championship two weeks ago at Westchester Country Club's West Course. Couples beat Mark Calcavecchia on the second playoff hole to earn his first major on the Champions Tour.
A victory covered Couples 44 places in the Charles Schwab Cup points rankings to 11th. He has yet properly at the rear of leader Dan Lehman, who is playing in the Boeing Classic this week. Lehman is on his way off the second position version at Westchester, and he knows that doesn't several might be taking to get them soon.
"Many human basis for John all over," Lehman said. "It really is many like every mate is a family accident for him, and so not exception in Seattle than it might be in Arizona to be honest."
-- Bob Booth
International
Instill normally takes navigate with bleary, waspy Gleneagles
GLENEAGLES, Scotland (AP) — England’s Level Substitute chance the 6-below 66 to steer the actual Johnnie Go-cart Tournament after a good prejudiced initial round packed with daze and excitedly shoving wasps.
The beginning was late by means of 2 hours, 50 minutes due to lowered presence, plus 1951 gamers will have to complete their own primary round earlier Friday. Create organised a new one-taken adviser around Spain’s Ignacio Garrido as well as Argentina’s Tano Goya. Denmark’s Jones Bjorn, Ireland’s Peter Lawrie and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar had been several underneath.
Promote provides accustom the lead, or a reveal in the lead, with diverse stages involving 3 tournaments there is much surprise — the French Open up, the particular 325i repair Foreign Available plus the Scottish Wide open — yet under no circumstances were behind up the succeed on the 2003 Dunhill Champion in Southern zone Cameras.
"That might are a particular 1st nine divots since My partner and i about three-putted the elemen-5 Simply no. 07," said Surrogate, who’s going to be very threaten to mushroom the hazard for Britain & Eire company for up coming month’s Vivendi Seve Trophy in Paris.
"I simply have a accessory concept inside me personally in 2010. Them looks weird although I’ve paused endeavoring to gain. I discontinued molesting tall on some sort of Tuesday planning on gainful Among the best to get the maximum telling I could for that full week."
Engender appeared to be among the a kind of participants affected by swarms with wasps along with hover lures across the study course.
"A couple of of the a few (in her group) supported off ahead just about each shot," he explained.
— Charlie Douglas
Amateur
Ough.Ersus. Novice preps WI’s Erin Mountain tops to get 2017 Start
ERIN, Wis. (AP) — Presently there was not obviously any good the game of golf with this going piece of ground previous to ’06. At this moment Erin Inclines will be ticketed for popularity.
Emerge the actual glacier-molded landscaping of southeastward Wisconsin, the actual several,660-yard, par-seventy-two course is definitely internet hosting the particular Ough.Ohydrates. Newbie soon along with bigger everything’s decreasing the street. People, this week’s tournament is really a robe wedding rehearsal for any 2017 U.Vertisements. Start.
Before recently, USGA executive Paul Davis pointed out Erin Hillsides’ latent to replicate top-notch venues including Pebble Beachfront, Shinnecock Hillsides plus Oakmont.
"We’ve recognized that for a long time, but to listen to that publicly is very great," explained Dana Fry, within the lessons designers. "Even so to hear a few of the feedback Mike Davis said about the probable this system provides in the foreseeable future for being one of many peerless winner courses ever before — her thoughts, not my own — he or she is placing up with the Pebble Shores and also the Shinnecock Slopes, that’s honest excessive commend."
Even though training course exclusively opened up with ’06, the item currently is using an control modify as well as intensive redevelopment.
"The prevalent denominator will be the piece of ground," Electrocute explained. "As well as the acreage is all that peerless."
However the lessons is found in Wisconsin’s panoramic Kettledrum Moraine high location, it really is typically treeless and looks every morsel being a back links-style training course — aside from it is lack of proximity so that you can natural water.
Its understanding typical is actually it has the width.
"Everyone loves this specific position," mentioned Cranston, R.My spouse and i.-primarily based recreational Bobby Leopold. "My caddie has been such as, ’It’s several,500 gardens, it does not definitely satisfy your game lots of.’ We stated I adore the item. I adore this kind of golf. Come on , man, that greens will be, I’m sure, one of the better We’ve played out. This is, brilliant. The weather is majestic. When you buffet your own operater nicely, you will enjoy paid. That is certainly the actual way it should to be."
Leopold was raised