Mahan shoots 62 to take lead in The Barclays as PGA Tour playoff open

8/23/2008

With two perfect shots, Hunter Mahan put a terrible week at the PGA Championship behind him at The Barclays.

Playing in calm morning conditions at demanding Ridgewood Country Club, Mahan split the fairway with his opening drive, then watched his 98-yard sand wedge shot spin back into the hole for an unlikely eagle.

Seventeen holes and eight birdies later, he signed for a 9-under 62, good for a four-stroke lead Thursday in the opener of the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedExCup.

Two weeks ago in the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, the 26-year-old former Oklahoma State player shot 81-79 to miss the cut, and made news with critical remarks about the Ryder Cup in a Golf magazine interview.

England's Paul Casey shot a 66, and Bo Van Pelt, Kevin Streelman, Mathew Goggin, Charley Hoffman and afternoon starter Dudley Hart had 67s. Steve Stricker, the winner last year at Westchester Country Club, topped the group at 68.

Mahan, 31st in the FedExCup standings, established the course record in the first PGA Tour round on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed layout -- a composite of Ridgewood's three nine-hole courses.

With the groupings based on FedExCup points, Mickelson played alongside British Open and PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington (72) and Kenny Perry (69), effectively the points leader with top-ranked Tiger Woods sidelined by a knee injury.

Harrington, the 2005 winner at Westchester, made a double bogey on 18 -- his ninth hole -- and also had a 6 on the 586-yard par-5 third.

Mahan had his fifth 62 in five full seasons on the tour. Last year, he opened with a 62 en route to a playoff victory in the Travelers and also matched his career best in the Canadian Open and at Westchester, the tournament site the previous 41 seasons.

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1. Hunter Mahan                 USA  62 - 9
2. Paul Casey                     ENG  66 - 5
3. Bo Van Pelt                    USA  67 - 4
    Charley Hoffman            USA  67 - 4
    Mathew Goggin               AUS  67 - 4 
    Dudley Hart                    USA  67 - 4
    Kevin Streelman             USA  67 - 4
8. Adam Scott                     AUS  68 - 3
    Rich Beem                     USA  68 - 3
    Jesper Parnevik              SWE  68 - 3
    George McNeill                USA  68 - 3
    Bubba Watson                USA  68 - 3
    Steve Stricker                 USA  68 - 3

Source: AP, PGA Tour