Ailing Scott has fast start
Australian shoots 10-under-par while fighting flu
Being under the weather cured Adam Scott’s ailing game.
A benign Bay Hill did wonders for a lot of other players, too, and helped alleviate some of the pain felt by tournament officials after Tuesday’s withdrawal of world No. 1 Tiger Woods.
Scott, the world’s No. 2, tied the tournament course record Thursday with a 10-under-par 62 to grab a three-shot lead after the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Keyed by a scorching putter, Scott equaled the record set by Andy Bean in 1981 and in 1984 by Greg Norman, Scott’s boyhood idol.
“I don’t know where it came from, but the putter certainly got hot today,” said Scott, making his first appearance here since 2009. “Today was just one of those days where the hole was a bit like a bucket.”
And it was a rare day at Bay Hill, where only hints of wind and soft conditions in the morning led to scores of birdies, including the eight made by Ryo Ishikawa, who fired a 65 in search of his first PGA Tour title. John Merrick turned 32 on Thursday and then turned in a 65 that included eight birdies to share second place.
“It’s not an easy golf course,” Merrick said. “We just got a calm day. It was kind of for the taking today. It’s not usually like that.”
Scott said he has been fighting flu-like symptoms for a couple days. “(Illness) slows you down and almost takes your mind off what’s going on, because you’re not even feeling human sometimes,” said Scott, who needed just 23 putts. “So I went out there just trying to get the ball around, and it was one shot at a time.
“I’ve played a lot feeling like this, and sometimes it works in your favor, by lowering the expectation a little bit and having no feeling, not even a nervous feeling. You’re just more interested in feeling better than playing golf.”
His golf has been a bit ordinary, too. After opening the year with two top-10s in Hawaii, Scott’s game was sort of flat with a tie for 12th in the Honda Classic and a tie for 25th in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.
Scott is hoping to get back to normal for the second round. And he expects Bay Hill to play much tougher. He isn’t alone. By the sound of things, there won’t be anymore 62s out there this week.
Paul Casey said he saw a 62 — after 15 holes. “Those were some of the toughest pin positions I’ve seen in a while,” said Casey, who finished with 67. “Sixty-two is an unbelievable score with a bogey. How did he do it?”
Brandt Snedeker, who’s trying to turn his season around after a sluggish start, joked that he hoped the ban on anchored putters would go into effect now to throw Scott off.
“He’s playing unbelievable,” Snedeker said. “He’s one of the best players in the world right now. I don’t think 10 under is doable for me.”
Even Scott said another 62 by anyone would be hard to fathom. “It’s a tough golf course,” he said. “There are good scores out there, but to keep it going is tough, because the penalties are severe.
“I’m going to focus this afternoon on drinking a lot of water and resting up and trying to feel a bit more sprightly tomorrow. But like at any event, you want to put yourself right in it from the getgo, and I’ve done that here. I hope a couple of solid rounds have me in the mix by Sunday.”