David Toms regains old form, leads by one in Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow

From WorldGolf.com News Services

Prior to the opening round of the Wachovia Championship, playing the game of golf hadn't been a whole lot of fun for David Toms.

Mired at No. 143 on the PGA Tour money list, Toms hasn't finished under par in a tournament since a 22nd-place tie in the Northern Trust Open in mid-February. He aggravated a back injury swinging too hard in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and missed the cut in two straight events after that before finishing tied for 42nd in the Masters and tied for 61st in the Verizon Heritage.

However, Toms reversed his fortunes Thursday at Quail Hollow Country Club, shooting a 5-under-par 72 to take a one-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson and Jason Bohn. For Toms, it marked his lowest round in relation to par on the PGA Tour since he shot a second-round 5-under 65 in last year's Travelers Championship.

"It does feel good to play solid golf again," Toms told reporters in Charlotte, N.C. "I played today with last week's winner (Adam Scott), who's a heck of a player, so just trying to keep up with him ... I couldn't get within 30 yards of him off the tee, but I scored pretty well.

"It's just, like I said, nice to be back in the media center after a good round of golf."

Toms' 67 marked just the fifth time he has carded a round in the 60s in his last 36 rounds on tour, dating back to a final-round 71 in the 2007 Travelers Championship. The 41-year-old former PGA Championship winner recorded eight birdies, which is two shy of the Wachovia Championship record of 10 set by Retief Goosen in the third round in 2006.

"Today was a good start, obviously, to this event," said Toms, who won the Wachovia in 2003. "It's a tournament that I've won before, so I know I can play the course well, but it's a very demanding course. You have to hit your tee balls well and then second shots you have to put them in the right place. The greens are a lot like Augusta's where if you're in the wrong spot, you're very defensive."

Toms, who shot 80 in the final round of the Masters, said the situation was getting to a point where he was starting to think about reassessing his career.

"The frustrating part is not playing at the same level that I've been accustomed to," said Toms, a 12-time PGA Tour winner. "I think it wears on you mentally more than anything else.

"I've always said that I've been out here long enough to where the only time it's really fun for me is when I have a chance to win and contend to win tournaments. Grinding to make the cut is too much like work."

Mickelson, making his first start since the Masters, enjoyed a solid round in his first official competition with a longer putter, switching from a 33 1/2-inch model to a 35-incher. Mickelson said the reason for the change was because that extensive stretching in his workout routine has made him an inch taller.

Mickelson finished his round with 26 putts. He said he new putter is also helping him feel better, physically.

"I think when I do some of the drills, I haven't had as much soreness after the round in my back," Mickelson told reporters. "I haven't had any back problems, but just muscular, sore. I think not having to bend over as much might allow me to practice a little bit easier maybe."

The first-round 68 by Bohn put him in a familiar position. Bohn began last year's Wachovia Championship with a round of 67 was also tied for second heading into round two.

Defending Wachovia champion Tiger Woods is sidelined after undergoing knee surgery. Still, this week's field contains 18 of the top 25 players in the world.

Camilo Villegas, Ben Curtis, Stephen Ames, Steve Marino, Jeff Quinney, John Merrick, Vaughn Taylor, Zach Johnson and Nick Flanagan were all tied for fourth with a 3-under 69. All enter Friday's second round within striking distance of Toms, who is just glad to play a solid round again and said he's far from proclaiming himself to be in top form again.

"For me, the way I feel physically, I think it's going to be something that has to build up," Toms said. "I'm not saying I couldn't win this golf tournament, but I think it's more of a process to get confidence back.

"I think I'll either get back to a high level or I'm not sure that you'll see me as much, because like I said, I don't enjoy the not playing great golf. I'm secure enough at home with my family and financially to where if I'm not having fun playing and I feel like it's a struggle physically, then I won't continue to do it full-time."

May 2, 2008