With his long hair poking out from beneath his golf hat, young Rickie Fowler looks out of place in a PGA Tour locker room. But he does not look out of place on the golf course.
View full sizeRickie Fowler, 21, is just four strokes off the lead after the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron.With his long hair poking out from beneath his golf hat, young Rickie Fowler looks out of place in a PGA Tour locker room.
He does not look out of place on the golf course.
The 21-year-old California native made his Firestone debut a successful one Thursday, shooting a 2-under 68 that left him four shots behind leader Bubba Watson.
Fowler is the third-youngest player in the field, behind Ryo Ishikawa (20) and Rory McIlroy (21).
Fowler, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory, is 14th on the money list with winnings of $2,171,531 this season. He was second at the Memorial and the Phoenix Open and has won in Northeastern Ohio before.
Members of the Country Club of Hudson still talk about his victory there in the Hudson Junior Invitational in 2005 when he shot 68-72-64 -- 204 (12 under).
Mark this: Firestone pro Dave Champagne played as a marker with Henrik Stenson when Robert Allenby withdrew Wednesday with a knee injury. Despite an admitted case of nerves, Champagne shot a respectable 6-over 76. Stenson shot 79.
"My goal was to stay out of his way," Champagne said.
Local touch: Stow's Ben Curtis, a Kent State graduate, received a warm reception on the first tee and finished his first round at 1-under 69.
That equals his best round at Firestone since he opened the 2003 NEC Invitational -- the same year he won the British Open -- with a 6-under 64. His last round of 69 came in the second round last year.
Making the switch: Curtis was one of approximately 10 players in the field using the new Titleist 910 D3 driver. The club is not yet available to the public.
Speaking of Titleist, about 50 percent of the field played the Pro V1 ball, followed by TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike, Srixon and Bridgestone.
Pick 'em up: Members of the Millbury Lake High golf team, whose school was leveled by a tornado that killed seven people in the small town near Toledo in early June, were tournament guests of the Northern Ohio PGA on Wednesday.
The visit to Firestone was just a fraction of what the NOPGA has done for the team since the devastating storm. Two of the players lost their clubs in the tornado, so the NOPGA got them new ones. The team also was outfitted with shirts, slacks and shoes, all from various manufacturers through the NOPGA's urging.
Beware, Bubba: First-round leaders don't have much to write home about, both at Firestone and on the PGA Tour. First-round leaders have won just four times in 11 Bridgestone events and only seven times in 32 stroke-play events on the Tour this year.
Looking ahead: Kenny Perry, who turns 50 on Tuesday, is tied for second with Phil Mickelson after shooting a 4-under 66. It marked the third time he's shot 66 at Firestone, but it was his best opening round in eight starts on the South Course.
Faces in the crowd: Akron women's basketball coach Jodi Kest, a 12-handicap. Before basketball and recruiting stole so much of her time, she was shooting as low as a 10. "But that was years ago," said the 2009-10 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year and Mayfield High grad. Her Akron contract provides a Rosemont Country Club membership, although Kest said her golfing is limited to May and June. . . . Also, Akron softball coach Julie Jones was in attendance.
Plain Dealer reporter Bill Lubinger contributed to this report.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169