Round 1, John Deere Classic (PGATOUR.com)
July 9, 2009
GOOD PUTTING FIXES EVERYTHING (2:25 p.m.)—If J.J. Henry can start consistently putting well, he'd be a lock to win multiple times on TOUR. His opening 65 at TPC Deere Run is proof.
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Henry used only 25 putts – this coming from a player who was ranked 182nd in Putts Per Round (30.12) and 184th in Putting Average (1.812) heading into the John Deere Classic.
Henry is in the top 50 in both Driving Distance and Greens in Regulation this year, but his second at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun remains his only top 10.
His 65 on Thursday was his lowest round of the year and gave him the early lead with several big names (Kenny Perry, David Toms, Steve Stricker) having just teed off.
Here is a look at Henry's scorecard:
MIKE VAN SICKLE DEBUT (2 p.m.)—Mike Van Sickle, a former All-American at Marquette, is making his PGA TOUR debut this week after he received a sponsor's exemption. According to his father, Sports Illustrated golf writer Gary Van Sickle, Mike is also in the field for the U.S. Bank Championship next week.
Van Sickle, who retains his amateur status, will be playing with big-hitting PGA TOUR rookies Gary Woodland and Colt Knost.
PRIDE: MY CLUBS CAME OFF THE RACK (1:40 p.m.)—Alabama native Dicky Pride has battled a lot of things—losing his TOUR card, multiple injuries, you name it. So his solid 66 on Thursday morning was a welcome score for a player who hasn't had a lot to cheer about in 2009.
Pride, who won the 1994 Federal Express St. Jude Classic, has struggled to get into tournaments since 2007, his last full season on TOUR. In between, he's battled tendinitis, a foot injury and a torn ligament. He's made it into just five tournaments this year, with no finish better than a tie for 72nd.
But his 66 on Thursday was his best round since the 2007 Ginn sur Mer Classic at Tesoro, when he shot 64. Not only is Pride's health starting to come around, he's also gone back to the basics with his equipment.
The average duffer can relate: Pride recently called up his manufacturer, TaylorMade, and requested a new set of irons straight from the rack. No special length on the shafts, no bent angle on the club head. Pride had been using irons extended a half-inch on the shaft.
Pride says using longer irons actually hurt his game.
"I don't want them upright, long, flat, anything. Standard lie, standard length, standard loft, let's go. It's really helped me, especially with my short irons, and I've really been hitting my short irons, giving myself chances.
"I've been fighting getting underneath the ball, and the longer the club, the more you want to get underneath it. So I said, I'm just going to make them a half inch shorter, and I've been hitting the ball a lot more solid."
To replay Pride's round, . SIRIUS XM Interview:
Here is a look at Pride's scorecard:
MORNING MOVERS (1:20 p.m.)—Zach Johnson was among the players with an early tee time on Thursday at TPC Deer Run—the Iowa native played with Davis Love III.
For highlights from the morning round, .
DANNY LEE IN THE FIELD (12:50 p.m.)—Danny Lee just made the turn, but the real story is that he's at TPC Deere Run in the first place.
Lee scored his first top-10 on the PGA TOUR last week at the AT&T National, and the finish automatically placed him in the John Deere Classic without having to use a sponsor's exemption.
Lee, the 2008 U.S. Amateur champion, turned pro after the Masters. Because he's not a PGA TOUR member, Lee is limited to seven sponsor exemptions, and he's already used six of them. He was originally planning to go to Scotland to prepare for the British Open next week, but when he got word that his top-10 at Congressional got him into the field at TPC Deere Run, he jumped at the chance.
"I'm really pumped up I can play in another event and I'm going to have some experience and play with all of the greatest players out there. I think it's going to be great," Lee said.
Lee needs to earn around $500,000 more to secure a card for 2010.
To follow the rest of Lee's round with Shot Tracker, .
SLOW START FOR DUVAL (12:17 p.m.)—Everyone is on the David Duval watch after his near-victory at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, but the former world No. 1 is two over after 10 holes at TPC Deere Run.
Duval is our . Craig Dolch wrote an about how Duval not only wants to win again on TOUR, he is positive he can regain the form that made him one of the world's best players from 1997-2001.
Duval spoke earlier this week about his commitment to the John Deere Classic, which was on his schedule even before his remarkable run at Bethpage Black. From here, Duval will fly straight to the British Open, which he won in 2001. It remains his last victory on TOUR.
"I enjoy the relationship part of it with the people here at the John Deere and the tournament," Duval said. "You know, just I feel like these are the events to me that I've been playing long enough that it's nice to be wanted somewhere."
To follow the rest of Duval's round with Shot Tracker, .
CHRIS SMITH UPDATE (11:55 a.m.)—PGA TOUR veteran Chris Smith, who lost his wife in a car accident last month, released a statement on Thursday. His two children, who were both severely injured in the crash, are out of the hospital.
PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour players have donned black ribbons in support of Smith, and caddies have worn caddie bibs with the name "Smith" on the back.
"Most importantly, our family would like to thank everyone who has reached out to offer their condolences during this difficult time," Smith said in his statement. "It is clear that Beth has touched many lives as the kind thoughts and fond memories that we have shared with others since her passing have been truly overwhelming.
"We also can't say enough about the entire golf community which continues to be so supportive of our family. "Both of our children are out of the hospital and at home resting for next week's services, which will be a fitting tribute to Beth and all that she has meant to us."
To read more and learn how you can help Smith, .
OLD PUTTER REVITALIZED PERRY'S GAME (11:30 a.m.)—Defending champion Kenny Perry has always been one of the world's best ball-strikers—he's near the top every year in both driving distance and accuracy—but his putting always held him back.
Until last year. Thanks to an old Ping putter. Perry tells the story:
"A gentleman at my club came up and handed me this putter and said, "You need to putt with this. I think it would really help you. I had about five putters laying on the greens, I had belly putters, I putted with belly for a while. This old putter was [a] beat-up Ping Craz-E, and it had a grip on it that was—it had shreds on it.
"You can tell the guy just completely wore it out and he just didn't like it anymore. I don't know if he truly meant for it—if he truly believed that. He just wanted something different for me. When he wasn't looking I threw it in the trunk of my car, and I went back to all of my other stuff.
"I was putting poorly, so I said, Hey, I'll give this putter a try. I put a grip on it, and next thing you know I win three tournaments this summer, the Ryder Cup, the Shark Shootout, two tournaments this year."
Kiss those flatstick woes good-byeKenny Perry became a world-class player again when his putting improved: Year Putting Average PGA TOUR rank 2006 1.813 177th 2007 1.806 153rd 2008 1.778 63rd 2009 1.763 58th
STREELMAN OPENS WITH BIRDIE BINGE (11:10 a.m.)—We keep waiting for Kevin Streelman to break through and win on the PGA TOUR, and he hasn't hurt himself with his start on Thursday morning at TPC Deere Run.
Streelman birdied his first four holes to move up the leaderboard. It's the latest in a series of fine play from the PGA TOUR sophomore, who started slowly this year after a surprising 35th place finish last year in the FedExCup points standings.
Streelman, who hired former PGA TOUR Network announcer Michael Collins as his caddie a few weeks ago, has made four of his last five cuts, and his final-round 67 at the AT&T National last week enabled him to move into a tie for 11th.
Before the 2008 season, we documented Streelman's long road to the PGA TOUR (). Streelman is one of the few q-school graduates who kept his card in 2008.
Groups We're Watching Tee time Players 7:57 a.m. CT No. 10 
Zach Johnson, Davis Love III, D.J. TrahanJohnson currently sits third in FedExCup standings, only 389 off the lead with two wins and five top-10s this season. 12:57 p.m. ET No. 1 
Kenny Perry, George McNeill, David TomsPerry just gained his second '09 win and is only 177 points off the FedExCup points lead. Toms has seven top-10s 8:06 a.m. ET No. 10 
Lucas Glover, Jerry Kelly, Charles Howell IIIThe U.S. Open champ is still playing solid golf despite not taking a break, and Kelly always plays well at this tournament. 
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