Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:32 AM:Staff writer Matt Null arrived here at 5:30 a.m. and he just gave me the lowdown on the early morning scene when the gates opened. Null said it was something like a crowd waiting outside Best Buy the day after Thanksgiving hoping to race in and grab one of four cheaply discounted laptops. He said he feared for his own life and had to climb a tree to avoid the stampede of patrons hoping for a glimpse of Tiger and Phil.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:41 AM:For those of you tuning in, our mid-morning leader is Robert Karlsson at 4-under par through 10 holes. Karlsson finished 18-over par at Oakmont last year and missed the cut. Steve Stricker was at 4-under at one point today, but now is 1-under after just finishing up at the third hole. Wonder what the U.S. Golf Association thinks of these early scores?

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 10:47 AM:Tiger Woods is currently 1-under par after taking a double bogey on the first hole. Mark Calcavecchia just withdrew from the tournament, on his birthday. He was 8-over par.

Greg from Pescadero wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:07 AM:Dan,

Who is your early pick to win?

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:16 AM:Robert Garrigus' caddie has a handlebar mustache, and he's wearing a kneebrace and a train conductor's hat. All he needs is a parrot, and he'd be a pirate.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:31 AM:Found Justin Hicks with 3 1/2 holes left in his round. He just went to the porta-john after placing his second shot to the middle of the green. Appears to have a piece of TP dangling from his shoe

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:32 AM:No reporters currently following Hicks. Just a witty blogger. He parred No. 6

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:33 AM:If anyone shoots a 66, the USGA will save a ton on the water bill

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:56 AM:Hicks bogeyed No. 7 to fall back to 3 under. Toilet paper appears to be gone from his shoe.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 11:58 AM:Sitting between the seventh and eighth green. Rough is tall and punishing. I'm up to my waste out here. Stinks, too. Smell of swampy grass really stings the nostrils.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:10 PM:Headed for Tiger and Phil. Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, in case we get lost.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:12 PM:The view up 15 with Tiger and Phil bearing down is intimidating. Where are all these people going to fit? It is a sea of humanity.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:26 PM:Different ways people are viewing Tiger and Phil from afar: trampoline, step ladder, Batman's bat cables

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:27 PM:Tiger saved par from 25 feet and gave his classic fistpump. And I just soiled myself

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:30 PM:Tiger double-bogeyed No. 14, but Murrieta's Rickie Fowler birdied it. Bragging rights

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:43 PM:One marshal is asleep on 17 and snoring away. Hope it doesn't affect someone's backswing

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:51 PM:One problem with watching these guys is the crowded greens. Reporters are playing Twister to get a view while ducking out of the way of patrons.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 12:58 PM:One fan just yelled, "Tiger sweated on me!" Don't think I or anyone else generally gets that reaction.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:01 PM:Tiger appeared to whince when he hit his drive and then was walking differently.

Staff writer Landon Negri wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:07 PM:Murrieta Valley graduate and Oklahoma State freshman Rickie Fowler just walked off the 18th green after shooting a solid 70. Even with much of the field having yet to finish ---- some haven't even started ---- Fowler's current tie for fifth is still impressive. Staff writer Tom Sheridan is currently tracking him down for comments.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:09 PM:I can't tell: is the gallery shouting, 'Blogger!' or 'Tiger!'? I also just saw a shirtless fan with tatts yell and cheer for Phil, as if he were a Raiders fan.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 1:21 PM:Round One to Phil; death match to follow

Corey wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:30 PM:Hey Dan, can you tell me how Kyle Stanley from Clemson fared today, what his round looked like? He's from my hometown.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:48 PM:Tiger Woods said he was worried about getting into the flow of things on Thursday. Then he opened with a double bogey 6 on the first hold, giving him "plenty of warmups."
He did say he was in pain when he teed off on 18 and also said he's receiving treatment on his surgically repaired knee and taking medication. But he said the pain was different than it was at August in April.
On the crowd: "It was pretty loud at times but overall it wasn't as bad as I thought." Woods did say he'd never seen as big a media throng as there was Thursday.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:52 PM:Adam Scott had this to say about Tiger Woods: "I enjoy playing with Tiger. ... It's a lot easier to focus and be more disciplined." One reporter asked Scott if he noticed Tiger in pain when he whinced at 18 with Woods in the background hearing the entire exchange and smiling.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 2:56 PM:Phil Mickelson said he was proud of the crowd because there were no derogatory remarks toward any of the players. He was also surprised to see a big crowd at 8 a.m. Asked why he didn't use a driver, something that instructor Dave Pelz has asked him to do repeatedly, Mickelson insisted that he could hit his 3-wood where he wanted. But when the question kept coming up, Mickelson broke into a sales pitch saying something to the effect of "You guys haven't swung the Calloway yet, have you? It goes a long way."

dbag wrote on Jun 12, 2008 3:12 PM:whose in the lead

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 4:23 PM:Henrik Stenson tapped in for par at No. 17, which brought on singing from several of his Swedish friends in the gallery.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 4:24 PM:Ogilvy makes another lengthy putt for his third consecutive birdie.

Staff writer Landon Negri wrote on Jun 12, 2008 4:27 PM:Brett Wetterich withdrew Thursday due to a wrist injury. Andrew Svoboda, a 28-year-old who competed in a sectional June 2 in Purchase, N.Y., is the alternate who will take his place.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:03 PM:The media pack following Els and Ogilvy has swelled from on at No. 17 to dozens

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:05 PM:The gallery, which is still loud and strong, is getting a reward for sticking around as Els moves to 3-under par.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:07 PM:Both Ogilvy and Els hit into a fairway trap but neither raked it after hitting. The caddie did. I'm going on record as saying both U.S. Open champs have become jaded and lazy.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:10 PM:Wait. No pros rake traps? Never mind...

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:21 PM:Rumor has it the USGA put Els (South Africa), Rose (England) and Ogilvy (Australia) together not because of their top rankings, but rather their cool accents.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:24 PM:Corey, Kyle Stanley shot a 37-35 - 72.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:38 PM:Just saw Escondido's John Mallinger coming up No. 2 at even par. Even though it's late, the conditions are outstanding. No clouds, and the breeze is light.

Staff writer Dan Hayes wrote on Jun 12, 2008 5:42 PM:Tons of camera crews out here at the sixth green. Wonder if there are any best boys or key grips and what they actually do?

Staff writer Mike Sullivan wrote on Jun 12, 2008 7:50 PM:Those Spanish classes I took at San Diego State are a distant memory and I was served a reminder of that after following defending U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera around the golf course. Cabrera is from Argentina, and I would learn firsthand that his knowledge of English is worse than my retention of Spanish. Here is the complete blow-by-blow of our brief meeting at the putting green following his round. ME: Can I grab you real quick? CABRERA: “Espanol?” ME: No. Do you know Ingles? CABRERA: “No.” ME: Poco Ingles? CABRERA: “No English. Nada.” ME: Do you have a translator? CABRERA: “Zero. No Ingles.” ME: Muy poco Ingles? Cabrera shakes head no and walks away to practice his putting. Unfortunately for Cabrera, his attempts at communication were more successful than his round. He shot an 8-over-par 79, a round that would have been worse if he hadn't birdied each of the last two holes.