Sabbatini opens playoffs with 1-shot lead
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 63 for a 1-shot lead over Rich Beem and K.J. Choi.
The Barclays is the first of four tournaments that comprise the PGA Tour Playoffs, a new concept to golf aimed at rewarding those who play their best golf 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 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 also made 8 birdies, offset by 1 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.
This format also offers hope for the long shots, and Beem took advantage. The former PGA champion is at No. 134 with no guarantee of playing next week outside Boston. Only the top 120 in the standings after The Barclays advance to the "second round," and Beem likely will need a top 12 at Westchester to keep playing.
But he found something in his putting stroke during an extra 15 minutes waiting for the 10th tee to clear in the afternoon, made a few par saves to keep his momentum, then began his climb up the leaderboard with a 70-foot eagle putt on No. 18 as he made the turn.
Dutch Open: Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Taichi Teshima set a course record by shooting 6-under par 64s to share the lead after the first round of the Dutch Open at Zaandvoort, Netherlands.
France's Gonnet and Japan's Teshima enjoyed bogey-free rounds in calm conditions at Kennemer Golf and Country Club.
Among the seven golfers 1 stroke behind were former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell, 2004 winner David Lynn, Sweden's Alexander Noren and Britain's Steve Webster.