Page 19 - atoday

SPORTS A19
Friday 26 February 2016

Honda Classic

Continued from page 17

“I was more worried about Rickie Fowler lines up a putt on the 12th hole during the first round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016,
the alligator that was on in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
the other side of the island
than getting out of the wa- Associated Press
ter,” Garcia said. “The ball,
I could see probably half the warmth returned briefly sand left of the green and “I think we got a good lot of confidence,” Gar-
of it, so I knew that I could in the afternoon, and the made double bogey. After break playing in the after- cia said. “For sure, you
get it out. Almost made 4, crowd had a lot more to a birdie on the 15th, McIl- noon today,” he said. “I are wondering a little bit,
which would have been cheer. roy came up short into the think the wind laid down because usually my long
a great 4. I’m not going to That included the loudest bunker on the 16th for a a little bit for us. I know the game, it’s up there, and
lie, I was happy with a 5.” cheer of the day on the bogey, and he finished his guys had a tough time this even when I’m not playing
And he was happy with par-3 17th, where Alex Ce- round with a three-putt bo- morning and the course great, I still can manage to
other 60 strokes he took jka made a hole-in-one. gey from 10 feet. was not easy. Still didn’t get around it. But last week,
on a typical windy day at Rory McIlroy, however, Fowler was playing for the play easy out there for us. I felt out of sorts. I didn’t
PGA National. wasn’t in a happy place first time since he lost a two- I felt like I swung it really know what was going on.”
Garcia missed the cut last when he finished. Standing shot lead with two holes well tee-to-green. Would He took four days off,
week at Riviera, two days in outside the scoring area, to play and Hideki Mat- have been nice to putt a played 10 holes Wednes-
which he said he did noth- he smacked his putter on suyama beat him in a play- little better, but still a nice, day in the pro-am before
ing well. Hardly anything the concrete before go- off at Phoenix Open. Fowler solid round to start off the the rain arrived and it all felt
went wrong for him in the ing inside to sign for a 72. It said he spent a week with week.” good again.
Honda Classic, and even wasn’t an awful score, but friends and played plenty Garcia is playing for only “It’s only the first round,”
when it did, he managed the finish led to his angst. last week to get ready for the third time this year. He Garcia said. “We still have
to avoid trouble. Garcia He hit the face of a bun- a big stretch. He opened tied for seventh in Qatar three tough rounds to go on
had to play a 40-yard hook ker on the 14th hole and with two birdies in three and was never close to a very difficult golf course.
from the rough left of the went into another fairway holes and was in position making the cut at Riviera. But any good round, it’s al-
10th fairway to just short of bunker, put his third in more most of the day. “I didn’t come in with a ways welcome.”q
the green for a simple par.
Fowler had the only bo-
gey-free round, which in-
cluded a chip-in for par on
the 10th hole. McGirt was
more on the wild side by
making seven birdies.
“Anything in the red is
good around this place,”
McGirt said. “At 4 under,
I would say it was border-
ing on great. This place is
never easy, even when it’s
calm. You can’t fall asleep
on any shot out here.”
For the early starters, it was
a rude welcome to the
Florida swing — chilly and
gusts that approached 30
mph.
Phil Mickelson extended his
good play from a runner-
up finish at Pebble Beach
and shot 69, among 10
players who managed to
break par in the morning.
The wind eased slightly and