Sergio Garcia and New England golfer Keegan Bradley starred in a tale of two golfers moving in opposite directions at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. After drowning three balls and missing a putt for a quintuple bogey during Thursday’s opening round in Memphis, Garcia carded an 11 on the par-5 third hole.
Kinda made a golf watcher wonder if Sergio, whose 8-over 78 (one stroke better than DFL midway through the first round) did not exactly make him an oddsmaker’s favorite to see the weekend, would call on his infected finger to get him out of Friday’s play. After all, as the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson tweeted Thursday, making an 11 on the third hole in Memphis was a sure-fire way to “get an early start on US Open practice.”
Speaking of next week’s little Battle of Bethesda, rookie Keegan, who needs a win in Memphis to make a tee time at Congressional Country Club, began his St. Jude quest with a 3-under 67 that landed him just one shot off the pace. A bogey on the 17th hole (Bradley’s ninth of the day) was the only blemish on the scorecard of the St. John’s University grad who celebrated his 25th birthday two days ago.
After earning his first PGA Tour victory at last month’s Byron Nelson Classic, Bradley noted that he would like nothing more than to commemorate his aunt Pat Bradley’s 1983 U.S. Women’s Open win by being in the mix next week. The pride of Woodstock, Vt., fell three shots short of making the Open in last week’s qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, but a win in Memphis would do the trick.
“It would be huge for me to play in the U.S. Open,” Bradley told reporters following his Byron Nelson win.
Bradley, by the way, might like to know that at least one Massachusetts golf course was honoring his beloved Boston Bruins. Quincy’s Granite Links Golf Course replaced its regular pin flags in honor of the Bruins’ turn in the Stanley Cup Finals. For the remainder of the series — tied up at 2-all, thanks to the Bs’ 4-0 spanking of the Vancouver Canucks last night — golfers will tend pennants proudly displaying the black and gold spoke-B Bruins logo.
As for Garcia, the Spaniard who barely survived his own Open qualifier could not even claim bragging rights to the worst score on tour this season. The world’s slowest golfer, Kevin Na, owns that record after hacking his way to a 16 on the par-4 ninth hole during April’s Texas Open.
(Emily Kay is a regular contributor to New England Golf Monthly. Check her out on the Waggle Room, Boston Golf Examiner, National Golf Examiner, and GottaGoGolf websites. You may also follow Kay on Twitter @golfexaminer.)
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