Clark leads delayed Tour Championship

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2007 PGA Tour Championship | Round One | 14 Sep 2007

South African Tim Clark leads the weather shortened first day of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, after an opening round of eight under par 62 had him in the clubhouse before play was finally called for the day.

The 31-year-old was one of only ten players to complete their rounds on a day where a weather enforced delay of nearly three hours saw play finally brought to a halt by darkness. With the looming threat of even worse conditions tomorrow, the event stands a chance of being further disrupted as the week progresses. In the event’s favour is the fact that there are only 30 players in the field so there is flexibility in terms of juggling tee times to dodge as much of the bad weather as possible. Tee times have been brought forward for round two but firstly there are 20 players still to complete round one.

Clark however has the luxury of going to bed with a first round of 62 behind him and a two shot lead at this stage.

“I think just overall throughout the round I played well. Having a good Sunday round last week I had a bit of confidence,” said Clark after his round.

Clark recorded a front nine of 29 last Sunday at Gog Hill.

“You know, I didn’t play a practice round this week, I’ve just sort of shown up and come to play, and I guess it worked out. I had not been on the course. I wasn’t quite sure in what conditions the green were. For me it was all about getting here this week, and I think once I was here, a bit more relaxed, and that’s probably why I’ve been able to shoot the round I did today.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing for me that the attention is somewhere else,” he said referring to the fact that much of the attention is on the race for the FedEx Cup riches.

“I don’t have a chance to win the FedEx Cup, so really for me, it’s about this tournament right now. The guys out there fighting for the FedEx Cup have probably got a lot more on their minds than I do.”

Clark has played this event just once previously in 2005 and started the week well before fading over the weekend to finish 22nd. He has created a great opportunity for much better this week.

Padraig Harrington was out in the first group of the day with Heath Slocum and posted a first round of 63 before Clark stepped to the 18th tee. Clark found the green with a five wood at the demanding par three, two putted for par and finished one ahead of the Irishman.

At six under par 64 was John Rollins alongside Mark Calcavecchia, who had missed the green at the par four 17th when play was called. Looming large in the rear vision mirrors of the leaders, however, are Adam Scott and Tiger Woods who are both at 4 under par through 13 and 11 holes respectively with Woods producing five birdies through the first nine holes.

The two other genuine contenders for the FedEx Cup series, Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson, made shaky beginnings although Mickelson recovered from a horror start to be in reasonable shape. The left hander had slipped to three over when he double bogeyed the 5th but by the time he had holed a seven foot birdie at the 12th, his last hole of the day, he was at one under and had worked his way back into the tournament.

In order for Mickelson to win the FedEx Cup Series he must win the event and hope that Woods finishes worse than second. It would be possible for Mickelson to win the series if he finishes runner up this week but then Woods would need to finish outside the top five – possible but unlikely.

Stricker has made a poor start considering the form he has been in of late. He is playing in the final group with Woods and after a finding the bunker at his final hole of the day and making bogey he dropped to one over and in equal last place in the 30 player field. It is still possible for Stricker to win the Series but in order to do so he must finish first or if he was to finish second Woods must finish outside the top three. Clearly he faces a big task.

Of the Australians in the field other than Scott, Robert Allenby finished with 68, Geoff Ogilvy was two under through 14 holes and Aaron Baddeley was one under through twelve holes.

Play resumes at 8.00am on Friday (Atlanta time)