While tournament host Tiger Woods was making plenty of noise in the group ahead, defending champion Justin Rose quietly posted a 5-under 66 Thursday to finish three off the lead at the Quicken Loans National.
Ernie Els’ prep for the Quicken Loans National wasn’t ideal. The Big Easy spent time in a local hospital with what he thought was a kidney stone, but it turned out to be back spasms.
Two weeks after Zach Johnson won the Open at St. Andrews, a course known to favor the long hitters, Justin Leonard made eight birdies and a bogey for a 64 at a soft and long Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
Rickie Fowler has already won twice this year, and he was swinging well in his opening round at the Quicken Loans National but didn’t have much to show for it.
Retief Goosen played like his old self with eight birdies and no bogeys for an 8-under 63 and a share of the early lead at the Quicken Loans National with Ryo Ishikawa.
When his bunker shot on 18 came up five feet short of the hole for eagle, David Hearn took a deep breath and exhaled, no doubt frustrated that he had become the latest Canadian to come up short in his national open. It’s now 61 years and counting.
