Sluman Surges to First-Round Lead at The Memorial

Jesper Parnevik four-putted the second green after leaving his 35-foot birdie putt four feet short and lipping out his next two putts. Jeff Sluman had no such troubles en route to a blistering 65 in sometimes drizzling, sometimes windy conditions at Muirfield Village Golf Club in the first round of The Memorial Tournament.

Of course, Thursday and Friday at The Memorial are more a part of Jack Nicklaus’ collective ego stroke than anything, and the media will no doubt fawn over Jack’s +3 75. As well they should if for no other reason than his 75 beat world #1 Vijay Singh and Charles Howell III (77) by two, Mike Weir and John Daly by one (76), and Davis Love III (78) by three. Local knowledge had its advantages as Jack bounced two consecutive approach shots to within six inches (and bounced one tee shot off of a spectator’s jaw, sending him to the hospital). He later finished with three bogeys on the final four holes to move from even to +3.

Said Nicklaus after the round “I had a chance to shoot a pretty darn good score. I shot 75. That’s about my game. I don’t see anybody being scared by it. It didn’t scare a soul except me.” The Nicklaus run will likely end tomorrow and the press will remember that there’s a tournament with a strong field.

Tiger Woods, currently T13 after a tidy 69 and several putts left inches short of the cup, asked what Nicklaus shot and was told 75 and that Nicklaus was not happy about it. Woods smiled and said “Shocking, huh? It’s Jack, you know? If he shoots over par, he’s going to be mad. I’m sure he’s going to probably go out on the range and work a little bit so he’s ready tomorrow. Hey, that’s what made him the greatest player that’s ever played the game. He’s never satisfied.”

Jeff Sluman is satisfied, but knows that there’s a lot of golf to be played. Sluman is playing The Memorial this year after receiving a sponsor’s exemption (likely courtesty of his assistant captainship under Nicklaus at the President’s Cup two years back). Playing with a new putting grip, Sluman took 24 putts and birdied three of the par threes to take the lead over Rory Sabbatini. Said Sluman of his putting, “It’s been delightful to putt again, like you feel like you’re a kid, getting all the balls to the hole. You’re not as concerned about if you miss a green, you’ve got to chip it this close to make it. So, it’s been a pleasurable experience since I went to that grip [a modified claw grip]. I think it’s here to stay.”

Whether Sluman’s lead is here to stay is another matter altogether. Muirfield Village doesn’t look all that menacing – it’s an Augusta National without the super-sloped greens, after all – but it can jump up and bite you when you stray from the fairways or the proper lines. Just ask Vijay Singh – he carded a back-nine 41 for his 77, equalling his worst opening round since the 2000 PGA Championship. The par 5s – normally a Singh specialty – hurt today. He hit an approach into #5 in the water and bogeyed, then put two – a tee shot and an approach – into the water on 11 for a double bogey. He also double bogeyed 17 from a greenside bunker. The 77 is also Singh’s worst score since a 78 in last year’s final round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. “I just played bad,” Singh said after the round.

The weather was rather benign today – a grey Columbus day with occasional sprinkles – and the course was open for business. Stewart Cink was -3 through three and -4 through five before falling back. 28 players broke 70 and nine are within two shots of Sluman at -7. Included in that bunch is world #2 Tiger Woods, who can regain his the top spot this week. Woods opened with twelve straight pars until he two-putted the back-nine par 5s from about 20 feet. Woods “wasn’t in danger of making a bogey” all day, but he scared a few early birdies, leaving many putts inches short.

Pos   Player            Tot    R1
1     Jeff Sluman        -7    65
2     Rory Sabbatini     -6    66
T3    Nick O'Hern        -5    67
T3    Jonathan Kaye      -5    67
T3    Bo Van Pelt        -5    67
T3    Richard Green      -5    67
T3    Joe Ogilvie        -5    67
T3    Adam Scott         -5    67
T3    Woody Austin       -5    67
T3    Lucas Glover       -5    67
T11   Ian Poulter        -4    68
T11   Tim Herron         -4    68
T13   Sean O'Hair        -3    69
T13   Harrison Frazar    -3    69
T13   Ryan Palmer        -3    69
T13   Steve Flesch       -3    69
T13   Tiger Woods        -3    69
T13   Craig Parry        -3    69
T13   Stewart Cink       -3    69
T13   K.J. Choi          -3    69
T13   Alex Cejka         -3    69
T13   Billy Andrade      -3    69
T13   Kenny Perry        -3    69
T13   Bart Bryant        -3    69
T13   Todd Hamilton      -3    69
T13   Carlos Franco      -3    69
T13   Jay Haas           -3    69

Photo Credit: © 2005 Erik J. Barzeski/The Sand Trap. All rights reserved.