Golfing News

Mickelson’s done. Tiger’s gonna charge. His rookie French playing partner is toast.  Dustin Johnson can’t close.

Well after one hole, those predictions are 0-for-4.

Phil Mickelson holed a putt off the front of the first green to get to even par, then almost birdied the virtually un-birdieable 502-yard par-4 2nd (although playing partner Ernie Els did). Phil then gave himself a great chance at birdie out of a fairway bunker on No. 3 to 10 feet.

Tiger Woods, who everyone thinks is primed for a charge, 3-putted the 1st hole for a bogey. His playing partner Gregory Havret, supposed to fold because everyone playing with Woods does (Right?), birdied No. 1 and looked unfettere hitting into the 2nd.

And Johnson, who is outside the top 100 on the PGA Tour in final-round scoring average, ho-hummed a par at the first and is off an running.

New to the leaderboard is Martin Kaymer. The German has birdied 3, 4 and 5 to get to 1-over par and is in 7th place.

BBC Sport is running a live chat. To follow the action go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8750685.stm

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