PGA

The News
It's another beautiful day in South Carolina as the PGA Tour gets ready to heat up the engines for the 2nd day at Harbour Town Golf Links as the Verizon Heritage moves along. Today's forecast calls for a sunny day, highs near 80, with mild breezes.

Our View
Tomorrow's forecast is calling for PM showers, and that would be beneficial for the final round on Sunday. As of today, it appears to be optimal conditions and should be an entertaining day for golf fans.

The News
Two of America's finest are in joint position of the top spot on the leaderboard at the Verizon Heritage after the first day of play. Justin Leonard and Davis Love III have each shot round of 66 strokes on the day, five strokes under par.

Our View
In fact, the top seven spots are owned by Americans. Leonard seems much more likely to carry sucess forward, owning some great finishes this season. Love III is still trying to get back into form after a rough patch during these early weeks, but if he is healthy, he could compete.

The News
The first round was fairly good to some of the better up-and-coming Tour talents in the field. Aaron Baddeley (the winner of the Heritage in 2006), Boo Weekley, and Daniel Chopra all shot rounds of 69 today, two strokes under par, in the first day of competition at the Verizon Heritage.

Our View
All are tied for 23rd place and all are well within reach of the top spot on the leaderboard.

The News
Veteran duffers Bart Bryant and Robert Allenby both shot rounds of 70 in today's action at the Verizonn Heritage, one stroke under par.

Our View
While neither has shown well at this course in the past, both have the game to excel and join the group on the leaderboard. Sitting this low in the rankings now (T43) isn't great, but it could be reversed with a strong round on Friday.

The News
Last week's three-day success story at Augusta National, Brandt Snedeker, is struggling to find that same level of golf thus far this week. Snedeker put a round of 70 on the board in today's Verizon Heritage, one stroke under par.

Our View
Snedeker is right near the projected field cut line, a strong reversal of fortune from last week. He may not need a huge round to save grace on Friday, but he needs to go under par.

The News
Ernie Els has opened the Verizon Heritage with a first-round score of 72, one shot over par.

Our View
With the bulk of the field going well below par, Els is left with a one-day ranking of T73 and could miss the cut for the weekend if he does not improve in a major way. Els has always performed well at Harbour Links, so a rise to the occasion may not be out of the question.

The News
Ryugi Imada, having rested last week during The Masters (unqualified for invite), appears to be a bit rusty in his return to the links. Imada shot a round of 73 today, two strokes over par, at the Verizon Heritage.

Our View
Not only did Imada fail to take advantage of the four par-3 holes on the course, he actually bogeyed on half of them. Imada has played well this season, but his last two PGA outings have left in frustrated (T34 at the WGC CA Championship, MC at the Zurich Classic).

The News
Chad Campbell has got his Tour going again after missing last week's Masters (with no invite to get him on the course), and now it appears he is struggling to get his sticks swinging in the right direction. Campbell shot a round of 74 today, three strokes over par, and may now need to battle tall odds to make the cut for the weekend.

Our View
Campbell finished 2nd at the Shell Houston Open just before Augusta, but that is just one of two top-10 finishes this season, but his other starts have left little to be desired.

The News
Justin Rose may be carrying a strong bit of the frustrations from opportunities missed at Augusta last week, hitting the opening round at this week's Verizon Heritage with a score of 76, five strokes over par.

Our View
Rose is one of the best talents on the Tour, but his ability to completely self-destruct is worrisome (as warned in this week's Fanball Start/Bench article). Calling him inconsistent is an understatement.

The News
J.B. Holmes hit the links at Harbour Town for the opening round of the Verizon Heritage, polished his sticks, and shot a fat 76 to commence the tourney with a +5.

Our View
Holmes will need a miracle performance tomorrow to get on the right side of the cut line.

The News
Sean O'Hair has opened the Verizon Heritage with a score of 76, a full five shots over par (T112).

Our View
Obviously, O'Hair is well on his way to missing the cut, a bit of shocker considering the golf O'Hair has produced in this early season, sporting three top-15 finishes (including two in the top-3) in his last four outings.

The News
Cameron Beckman, in continued struggles to find any semblance of comfort on the golf course, has officially withdrawn from the Verizon Heritage.

Our View
Beckman shot 80 in the first round and walked on home. He birdied Holes 3, 9, and 10... but bogeys on 4, 8, and each and every hole from 11 through 16 ended his day and his tournament.

The News
Y.E. Yang has officially withdrawn from this week's Verizon Heritage. Yang shot a fat 80 on the first day of competition and stood no chance of making the cut.

Our View
He birdied two of his first three holes, then went on to bogey the next three (and three of the next five). Yang also bogeyed five of the holes on the back nine. Yang has four missed cuts this season but this event marks his first withdrawal.

04/18 08:07	Weather Update - 2nd Round, Verizon Heritage
The News It's another beautiful day in South Carolina as the PGA Tour gets ready to heat up the engines for the 2nd day at Harbour Town Golf Links as the Verizon Heritage moves along. Today's forecast calls for a sunny day, highs near 80, with mild breezes. Our View Tomorrow's forecast is calling for PM showers, and that would be beneficial for the final round on Sunday. As of today, it appears to be optimal conditions and should be an entertaining day for golf fans.
04/18 03:00	Veteran Americans lead the Verizon Heritage
The News Two of America's finest are in joint position of the top spot on the leaderboard at the Verizon Heritage after the first day of play. Justin Leonard and Davis Love III have each shot round of 66 strokes on the day, five strokes under par. Our View In fact, the top seven spots are owned by Americans. Leonard seems much more likely to carry sucess forward, owning some great finishes this season. Love III is still trying to get back into form after a rough patch during these early weeks, but if he is healthy, he could compete.
04/18 02:53	Baddeley, Weekley, Chopra sitting at -2
The News The first round was fairly good to some of the better up-and-coming Tour talents in the field. Aaron Baddeley (the winner of the Heritage in 2006), Boo Weekley, and Daniel Chopra all shot rounds of 69 today, two strokes under par, in the first day of competition at the Verizon Heritage. Our View All are tied for 23rd place and all are well within reach of the top spot on the leaderboard.
04/18 02:50	Bryant, Allenby sitting near projected cut
The News Veteran duffers Bart Bryant and Robert Allenby both shot rounds of 70 in today's action at the Verizonn Heritage, one stroke under par. Our View While neither has shown well at this course in the past, both have the game to excel and join the group on the leaderboard. Sitting this low in the rankings now (T43) isn't great, but it could be reversed with a strong round on Friday.
04/18 02:46	Snedeker in the middle of the pack
The News Last week's three-day success story at Augusta National, Brandt Snedeker, is struggling to find that same level of golf thus far this week. Snedeker put a round of 70 on the board in today's Verizon Heritage, one stroke under par. Our View Snedeker is right near the projected field cut line, a strong reversal of fortune from last week. He may not need a huge round to save grace on Friday, but he needs to go under par.
04/18 02:44	Els flirting with danger
The News Ernie Els has opened the Verizon Heritage with a first-round score of 72, one shot over par. Our View With the bulk of the field going well below par, Els is left with a one-day ranking of T73 and could miss the cut for the weekend if he does not improve in a major way. Els has always performed well at Harbour Links, so a rise to the occasion may not be out of the question.
04/18 02:40	Imada playing with cut-line danger
The News Ryugi Imada, having rested last week during The Masters (unqualified for invite), appears to be a bit rusty in his return to the links. Imada shot a round of 73 today, two strokes over par, at the Verizon Heritage. Our View Not only did Imada fail to take advantage of the four par-3 holes on the course, he actually bogeyed on half of them. Imada has played well this season, but his last two PGA outings have left in frustrated (T34 at the WGC CA Championship, MC at the Zurich Classic).
04/18 02:34	Campbell falling short at Heritage
The News Chad Campbell has got his Tour going again after missing last week's Masters (with no invite to get him on the course), and now it appears he is struggling to get his sticks swinging in the right direction. Campbell shot a round of 74 today, three strokes over par, and may now need to battle tall odds to make the cut for the weekend. Our View Campbell finished 2nd at the Shell Houston Open just before Augusta, but that is just one of two top-10 finishes this season, but his other starts have left little to be desired.
04/18 02:33	Rose on path to missed cut at Heritage
The News Justin Rose may be carrying a strong bit of the frustrations from opportunities missed at Augusta last week, hitting the opening round at this week's Verizon Heritage with a score of 76, five strokes over par. Our View Rose is one of the best talents on the Tour, but his ability to completely self-destruct is worrisome (as warned in this week's Fanball Start/Bench article). Calling him inconsistent is an understatement.
04/18 02:32	Holmes struggling to compete at Heritage
The News J.B. Holmes hit the links at Harbour Town for the opening round of the Verizon Heritage, polished his sticks, and shot a fat 76 to commence the tourney with a +5. Our View Holmes will need a miracle performance tomorrow to get on the right side of the cut line.
04/18 02:31	O'Hair in danger of missing cut
The News Sean O'Hair has opened the Verizon Heritage with a score of 76, a full five shots over par (T112). Our View Obviously, O'Hair is well on his way to missing the cut, a bit of shocker considering the golf O'Hair has produced in this early season, sporting three top-15 finishes (including two in the top-3) in his last four outings.
04/18 02:29	Beckman withdraws from Heritage
The News Cameron Beckman, in continued struggles to find any semblance of comfort on the golf course, has officially withdrawn from the Verizon Heritage. Our View Beckman shot 80 in the first round and walked on home. He birdied Holes 3, 9, and 10... but bogeys on 4, 8, and each and every hole from 11 through 16 ended his day and his tournament.
04/18 02:28	Yang withdraws from Heritage
The News Y.E. Yang has officially withdrawn from this week's Verizon Heritage. Yang shot a fat 80 on the first day of competition and stood no chance of making the cut. Our View He birdied two of his first three holes, then went on to bogey the next three (and three of the next five). Yang also bogeyed five of the holes on the back nine. Yang has four missed cuts this season but this event marks his first withdrawal.