Feeling better, former champ Toms off to fine start

5/2/2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Toms was only half-joking when he said it was nice to be back in the interview room early Thursday afternoon

The 2001 PGA champion has always enjoyed a good relationship with the press, but that isn't the point. Toms simply hadn't played well this year -- at least not until he shot a 67 that gave him the lead after the first round of the Wachovia Championship.

Indeed. His round of 5 under is the 41-year-old's lowest of the season and matched the score he shot in the last round of the BMW Championship last year, Tom's final event of 2007.

Toms did more than just keep up with Scott, the EDS Byron Nelson Championship winner who opened with a 72 at Quail Hollow Club. He left Scott behind with a blazing 32 on the difficult back nine, their first of the day, and closed with a pair of birdies to seize the top spot on the leaderboard.

In his 10 previous rounds, though, Toms had twice shot 80 or higher; he had broken par just four times in 18 rounds this year. A tie for 17th at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship is his best finish of '08, and that's where his troubles began.

In his opening match with Zach Johnson, Toms was tempted by the drivable par-4 seventh hole and "swung too hard," he said. He was in so much pain, he thought he would have to walk in but managed not only to finish the match, but win 2 and 1.

The next morning, though, Toms had "no chance," as he put it. He hit a handful of balls but couldn't make solid contact with his sand wedge, so he conceded his match with Aaron Baddeley before the two even went to the first tee.

Toms' nagging back problems stem from a couple of deteriorated disks.

His father and grandfather both have the same problem -- which wouldn't be an issue for someone who sits behind a desk, but is a bit of a nuisance for someone who rotates his back like a corkscrew for a living.

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1.     David Toms                   USA  67 - 5
2.     Jason Bohn                    USA  68 - 4
       Phil Mickelson                 USA  68 - 4
4.     John Merrick                  USA  69 - 3
        Vaughn Taylor               USA  69 - 3
        Zach Johnson                USA  69 - 3
        Nick Flanagan                AUS  69 - 3
        Camilo Villegas              COL  69 - 3
        Ben Curtis                     USA  69 - 3
        Stephen Ames               CAN  69 - 3
        Jeff Quinney                  USA  69 - 3
        Steve Marino                 USA  69 - 3

Source: AP, PGA Tour