The morning started early today. Boy was it a beautiful morning...St. Andrews is the only course in the world that allows caddies to walk the greens before play starts. Walking the course with no one in sight is just so peaceful. Wow, what a special place!! That's pretty important for my job, getting to see where the pins are before we actually play the hole is priceless info. I'll walk the yardage on the green to where the pin is, look at where the best spot to attack the pin from the fairway is, and where is the best placement for the approach shot. Any advantage possible to make more birdies.
We got off to a smooth start...Camilo hit quite a few nice shot early to give us really good looks at birdies. He drove the ball great, wedged it very well, and putted fair but they were good solid putts. If he just stays positive on the putts, they will start to fall. Camilo made 4 birdies, 14 pars, thats always great in a Major Championship. He drove the ball great and drove it really close to 2 greens #9 and on the 12th green. All in all a very solid 68!! Great start...excited to see what rest of the week brings.
Tiger played well all day. TW was just cruising along at 6 under going in to the famous 17th road hole... made bogey there due to 3 putts from just off the edge of the green. Then he hit a beautiful bullet off the 18th right in the valley of sin, and 3 putted from off the green again...very un Tiger like!! Still he shot 5 under and good round. This week he put a new putter in play...a Nike custom for Tiger. I asked him how long he had been practicing with new putter he sad a year. That's amazing, Tiger always has worked with new clubs before they ever get in the bag. Like the new grooves in the irons and wedges...he practiced with them for 2 years prior to this season. That's impressive!! Tiger is shaping into the form everyone expects from him, it's just a matter of time before he wins again.
Justin Rose got off to a hot start with birdies on the first 2 holes, then made string of pars before a 3 putt bogey on the par 3 8th. Justin then bounced back with birdies on 12 and 14 but made a late bogey on 17 after a drive in the left rough. He still played a nice solid round. Wonder if he is exhausted? He looked a little worn out. He has been on a great stretch of play after a few very sub par years. It was only 2 years ago that he was top 10 player in the world.
Until tomorrow, hope you enjoy the British Open.
Waldo
