Sports

Golf

The 19th hole

By BOB HARIG
Published August 12, 2005

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BIRDIES

Phil Mickelson shot his best opening round in a major this year and was in a six-way tie for the lead.

Ben Curtis, who has just two top-10 finishes since his British Open title in 2003, also was tied for the lead.

Retief Goosen birdied the last two holes to finish two back.

BOGEYS

Tiger Woods had his worst opening round in relation to par in a major championship as a pro, 5-over-par 75.

It was a disappointing day for British Open runnerup Colin Montgomerie, who shot 77.

QUOTABLE

"You guys can write about someone else for a change." - Stuart Appleby, on Tiger Woods

DIVOTS

NO CELL PHONES: Cell phones were banned beginning Thursday after spectators during practice rounds ignored the rules prohibiting them. Spectators attempting to bring a phone onto the grounds at Baltusrol Golf Club are being turned away. "We've gone to great lengths to communicate our no cell phone policy, while accommodating spectators by checking their phones during the practice rounds," tournament director Andy Bush said. "We simply cannot accommodate the mass crowds who have brought cell phones to Baltusrol. Thus, we will enforce a zero tolerance policy from this point."

JACK'S PICK: Jack Nicklaus selected Jeff Sluman to be his assistant captain for the U.S. Presidents Cup team that will take on an international team next month near Washington. Sluman was Nicklaus' assistant in 2003 when the Presidents Cup was played in South Africa and ended in a tie. Nicklaus had been waiting to see if Sluman would make the team, but realized he has no mathematical chance. The top 10 players in points standings through the PGA Championship make the squad, with Nicklaus getting two captain's picks Monday.

STAT OF THE DAY

Ben Curtis was the only player not to make bogey.

HOLE OF THE DAY

No. 7

Par-4, 505 yards

This brutish par 4 yielded just nine birdies, with 23 players making double bogey or worse. One of them was Woods, whose 6 at the hole dropped him to 6 over for the tournament before birdie on the next hole. Just 42 percent of the field hit the fairway off the tee and just 41 percent hit the green in regulation.

[Last modified August 12, 2005, 00:47:15]

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