Opening act is a success
By: Kevin Dunleavy
Examiner Staff Writer
July 2, 2009
Finchem addresses drug-testing program
After leading his partners, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and House Minority Leader John Boehner, around Congressional in the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am, Tiger Woods hit the ceremonial first shot of the AT&T National Wednesday morning.
Flanked by wounded warriors, Maj. Ken Dwyer of Fort Bragg, N.C. and Staff Sgt. Ramon Padilla of Walter Reed Medical Center, Woods told the others to hit "on the count of three." In unison, Woods and the soldiers, both with prosthetic left arms, hit solid shots down the first fairway of Congressional's Blue Course.
The ceremony was hosted by WJLA anchor Leon Harris and included a demonstration by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team, music by the Virginia Military Institute Brass, and remarks from Woods and tournament director Greg McLaughlin.
After presentation of the colors by the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard, music star Jessica Simpson sang a soulful version of the national anthem. Four Army jumpers from the Screaming Eagles, parachuted onto Congressional's first hole, the last who landed, did so on the first tee carrying an American flag.
Woods and his pro-am partners posted the best score of the morning, a 6-under-par 64. Harris quipped, "the biggest act of bravery" was Romo playing in front of Redskins fans.
Finchem addresses drug testing
PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said that the tour's drug-testing program -- now nearly a year old -- has resulted in no suspensions and said that there have been "no positive tests for performance enhancing" drugs.
Finchem hinted that some players have tested positive for recreational drugs and that they are being monitored with regular tests.
"We have had tests that trouble us in other areas that we treat in a different bucket," said Finchem. "We have regular testing [if] we believe that a player may be using an illegal substance."
Lower expectations work for Glover
U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover said that he started playing better by caring less.
In previous years, Glover believed he was an "underachiever" and he says it contributed to anger issues and a bad attitude about golf.
But this year, after sitting out much of the fall and playing little golf, he's found the secret.
"I had high expectations of myself," said Glover. "Maybe lowering them for this year might have helped."
Glover began this year's Open with a double bogey on the first hole of the first round. When asked if that had happened a year ago, would it have been a different story, Glover said: "I'd have been down the road Saturday as soon as the second round was over. Seriously, I'd have pitched a fit going to 2 and made a bogey there, and goodness knows what."
