AT&T National: Thursday

If you're attending a golf tournament, and can only see one round, you have to make a choice for a particular day.   The weekend play is more exciting, but Friday’s cut means you’ll probably not see everyone you’d like to that way.

I prefer Thursday or Friday, so I can see as many notables as possible before they make the cut.  With a good forecast, and Tiger teeing it up at 1:02pm, we went today.   With no parking in Northern Virginia this year, we decided to just pay and park at one of the small lots near by.  Actually worked out pretty good, we handed over a Jackson for a lot near the entrance by the 5^th hole.   Some were charging as much as $40, which is ridiculous. 

On Thursday, anyone can get hot and go low.  We got on the course around 1045, and caught up with the Kim/Furyk/Love threesome.   Kim was six under, Furyk three under and Love two in the red.   The defending champ kept it going, draining putts on 7 and 8 to get to eight under.   Wanted to walk with him to number 9 (his 18^th), but we also wanted to see Tiger tee off.   We found out Kim parred 9 to fire a 62 (par 70), breaking the previous course record held of 63 by Tom Pernice and Peter Lonard. 

As expected, Tiger had a huge following.   Tiger’s Troops gave the first tee the look and feel of a major.   The $100M man birdied the first hole, drawing a huge roar.   On number 2, the long par 3, he sank a long, curly one.   That drew an even bigger roar.   A spectator beside me, who couldn’t see the green, asked who made the putt.   Someone said Tiger,  and I thought to myself, that was a Tiger only roar.

Chatted up some of his gallery.    Father and son came down from Delaware, a couple from Pittsburgh.   I talked with a wounded warrior who had TBI from an IED blast in Iraq.   What Tiger is doing for our troops is incredible, and they really talk about how they appreciate it.   But we appreciate them, and I could barely keep my eyes dry as this soldier told me his story and others who did not make it back.  

We followed Tiger through 3, and by then had had our money's worth.   Came back home and watched on TV.   

Round ones can sometimes lack some luster as far as the big names, but Anthony Kim gave the day a buzz.   Tiger responded to his friends challenge, and carded a 64.

For those hoping the hosting would distract him, not a chance...