From Firestone: on course report, Round 2

I made it out to Firestone CC today. It was hot, humid, and windy. How hot was it? Well, Tiger had the top button unbuttoned today. A few golfers, like Justin Leonard, shot great rounds (66), but, for the most part, playing conditions appeared to be difficult because of the wind, which felt like 15-20 mph. Firestone is a great walking course, although it lacks somewhat in glamour. At par 70, it can be a stiff challenge with the wind.

I followed Tiger's group today. Spotted Mrs. Tiger there with family, as well as PGA legend Charles Sifford in attendance. But the attendance today at Firestone was pretty paltry. I'm not sure why. It could be the 90 degree weather. Or maybe the $50 admission ticket. Or maybe the interminably slow security check lines that crawled at a slower pace than the lines at Oakland airport. Anyway, the sparse crowd made for easier viewing because there was hardly anyone there -- close to a Nationwide event, but not that bad.

Today, Tiger played pretty much in control, at least for 17 holes. Nice birdies on 5 (par 3, 10 (par 4), and some truly big bombs off the tee. A slight hiccup on 14 (bogey), but an immediate birdie on 15. For most of the round, Tiger's ballstriking was excellent. You can tell he was having fun because he was yukking it up on a few holes with playing partner Marc Cayeux from Zimbabwe. And if you've followed Tiger before, you know that he's not one for much chit chat. Tiger did misfire a few times from close range with sand wedge, or his score might have been better. And he closed with a costly double bogey that wiped out his day's hard work. It was caused by an errant drive, followed by an 8-iron that caromed off the tree and an approach through the green. Despite the double, Tiger still shares the lead at -4 with Luke Donald, followed by Vijay Singh at -3.