PODS Championship round one: It'll take a hot putter to win this

Told you to bring the Golfing Who’s Not Who. As countless reports remind us, leader Cliff Kresge’s main claim to fame is falling in the water while making a putt at Q-School. His two eagles Thursday were no joke, but he did have the benefit of being first out of the traps before the greens had a chance to firm up. I doubt his struggles on the last three holes will be his last.

So where did the wind go? It was left to the fast greens to sort the boys from the men: putting was by far the key ingredient Thursday. Good stroke play was important too - Kresge was third for putting and GIR - but accuracy off the tee seemed to play a more minor role. Still, who said the rough was easy? Not the players I heard moaning about the difficulties of hitting out of it to the greens.

My question is how come hot newbies like Anthony Kim and Doug LaBelle II are showing old pros like Chris DiMarco, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh how it’s done?

Much as you can trust the weather forecasters, the wind is going to lie low over the weekend, which leaves the greens as the big impediment to success as they get firmer and faster in the Florida sun. They have already done for some of my guys.

Maybe the memory of that crucial missed putt last week still haunts Boo Weekley, but he and John Rollins both had trouble working out where the hole was. Bubba Watson missed at least three putts of less that 5ft, although he still has slim prospects.

Interesting to see Jesper Parnevik enjoying good fortune. Turns out he’s been playing with a finger broken when he tripped over a suitcase in January. It’s still giving him gyp, however, which clouds his prospects a little.

If things follow their customary pattern the field will bunch up somewhat Friday, giving hope that some of the guys lingering lower down, including those wayward old pros, will join the party. Then I can put my book away.