SAN MARTIN – Stay in the CordeValle fairways and a birdie
opportunity is feasible, stray right or left and end up in the
rough and it’s a struggle home.
SAN MARTIN — Stay in the CordeValle fairways and a birdie opportunity is feasible, stray right or left and end up in the rough and it’s a struggle home.
“In the rough here, you are in bad shape,” David Duval said after his first-round at the Frys.com Open on Thursday. “You can’t play much on this rough. It cost me a couple bogeys.”
Tournament and course management officials let the rough grow and fill in prior to the start of the week-long event, and players are learning that a shot from the rough isn’t worth the trouble.
“…It’s thick rough, but it’s not so thick. (The ball) goes right to the bottom. You can’t hit it more than 130-40 yards.”
Duval is at 6-under as he continues his second round Friday.
Rocco Mediate, the tournament’s leader midway through the second round, said the key to his second straight mid-60s round was keeping the ball in the fairway.
“Kind of have to out here,” he said.
Mediate has hit 23 of 28 fairways through his two rounds.
Bo Van Pelt had similar experiences Thursday, though he hit 11 of 14 fairways, minimizing his play from the rough.
“I didn’t hit a very good drive on nine and I laid it up in the rough,” said Van Pelt, who finished day one tied for second at 6-under. “To come away with a four was a good way to finish.
There is some rough out there. So if you drive it in the rough, sometimes you are going to have a hard time getting to the green.”
Note: The rough wasn’t the only hazard. Tim Petrovic hit the power lines Friday on the 10th hole for an automatic redo of his drive. He went on to par the hole.
