Bob Hope Chrysler Classic round one: Bad news for the top five

There are no problems, only opportunities, I am often told, usually by a boss as he deliberately stands on my foot. That seemed to be the watchword for the opening day, where the lack of wind left all four courses open to a massive attack. What did I say about distance? Forget it. In these conditions the biggest problems were the logjams created by all the amateur snails. To have to wait 40 minutes as Tim Petrovic did at one stage is crazy.

It’s still a bit of a puzzle that the four courses should play within a stroke of each other, at an average of around two under par. Four of the five joint leaders played on the Classic course, supposedly by far the toughest if you discount the newbie Silver Rock. That now appears to have taken over the mantle, but only by less than half a stroke.

The weathermen suggest it’ll be windier Thursday, so we’ll see how defenceless the courses remain. But I may have to revise my opinion of Justin Leonard, who managed a creditable four under on the longest course, Silver Rock, where he missed just three greens in regulation. Good to have that one out of the way early.

There’s a long way to go yet and those five players sharing the lead might like to reflect on the PGA Tour site’s little factoid that not a single first-round leader has won this event in the last 11 years.

Can’t help thinking the pro-am shenanigans might become drowned out by events in the Middle East when the Abu Dhabi Championship opens Thursday. Even the non-golfing stars at the Hope Classic strike me as decidedly B-list this year.