Bridgestone Invitational round One: If you think this is tough ...

I hope Paul Casey didn’t go double-or-quits on his little bet with coach Peter Kostis that he couldn’t hit 67 or better, or he’ll likely starve. It’s going to get tougher to get around Firestone as the rough grows and the sun bakes the greens. Casey, whose coach owed him a meal for his table-topping opening round, has a habit of following a low number with a somewhat higher one.

The course seems to have taken everyone by surprise, not least Stewart Cink with five bogeys, two double bogeys and not a single birdie. Who expected to see him propping up the leaderboard? His round was pretty much a total disaster, but only finding four fairways set the tone.

No such worries for Tiger Woods, back to his usual menacing self just a shot off the pace. That’s not quite as convincing as a lot of commentators would have you believe though. He is going to have to work hard to control his tee shots and avoid the rough - like Velcro and tougher than the US Open according to Rory Sabbatini - and he is still struggling to get on top of his irons, vital to getting the ball in the right positions on these tricky greens.

I can’t get over Hunter Mahan: another scintillating performance spoiled only by that double bogey on the 17th. There are not many out there who come close to his round one stats. He’s top 10 for everything. Apart from Tiger I cannot recall anyone putting in such a sustained run of excellent performances. The key, he says, is not in playing better golf - “Some of my best ball-striking weeks I was missing cuts” - but controlling his temperament. “I stopped getting mad at myself. I took control of my game … instead of letting the game control me.”

I love the little press conferences the players give. Sometimes they are dull as ditchwater, then along comes someone like Sabbatini. Head-to-head with Tiger in the Presidents Cup? “I’d be more worried about Tiger playing match play in his amateur days.” PGA Championship a week earlier than usual: “It’s cutting into my summertime ability to be out at the lake. I’m kind of annoyed about that. I want them to consult with me in the future and go with my schedule.” On running for golfing office: “I don’t run for office. If I wanted to be a politician I’d just go commit crimes.”

All that and a 67 to boot. After they made Rory they broke the mould.

Mind you sometimes, as Arron Oberholser reminded us, boring is good. He accepts his round of two under was a trifle dull, yet not if you look at his numbers. The only department where he doesn’t match Mahan’s hot stats is putting, and there’s not a lot in that either. “I like boring and effective. I’m cool with that,” was Arron’s verdict. And so say all of us.

Meanwhile, over in Reno: Didn’t I tell you Will MacKenzie would bite me in the bum if I opposed him? He’s up there with the best of them waiting for Steve Flesch to fall off his perch. Apart from fifth at the US Bank two weeks ago, Flesch has not been having a great season and his stats are nothing to shout home about. But he does have form here from five or six years back, and led rounds two and three in 2002 before finishing tied for 6th.

So far the key has been hitting greens and especially fairways - the top four have each missed just one fairway. Jose Coceres had the hottest putter of the leaders, but the best all round game came from Steve Allan, bidding to go one better than second place three years ago.

A shame about Tadd Fujikawa’s six over. But then he’s got plenty of time to put things right!