TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Timing Is Off, But Hicks Shares Lead

ADVERTISEMENT

By MICK ELLIOTT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 13, 2008

Updated: 06/13/2008 12:22 am

SAN DIEGO - Congratulations, Justin Hicks. You shot a first-round 68 Thursday at Torrey Pines. You are tied with Kevin Streelman for the first-round lead of the 108th U.S. Open. You are one shot in front of Rocco Mediate, Stuart Appleby, Geoff Ogilvy and Eric Axley.

Heck of a day. Now, please move along.

As life-changing events go, Hicks might just have the worst timing in U.S. Open history. That is because, while the unknown 33-year-old Nationwide Tour golfer from Royal Palm Beach was playing the round of his life, the world's golf population - half of which seemed to be tagging along - was being drawn to the ballyhooed Tiger Woods/Phil Mickelson pairing like metal to a magnet.

Even if the big showdown turned into a major letdown.

Returning from knee surgery and playing competitively for the first time in nine weeks, Woods came back with a double bogey on the first hole, added another on the 14th, and finished 1 over par.

Mickelson, playing in front of hometown fans, bogeyed three consecutive holes on the front nine and was 3 over through 12 holes before rallying to a even-par 71.

"I can walk 18 holes," Woods said. "I guess I don't need a cart yet. But hey, you couldn't ask for a worse start than I got off to. To make two double bogeys and a three-putt and only be four back, that's a great position to be in, because I know I can clean that up."

Mickelson also found the positive.

"Anything around par is kind of your target for the U.S. Open," he said. "And I should have a chance to keep it around par, maybe get a couple of birdies here or there."

Neither of the stars, however, was a Justin Hicks.

Whoever he is.

Sometimes not even Hicks is certain.

As it turns out, he is not the only Justin Hicks in golf. The other is a teaching professional who lives in San Diego. To confuse matters a little more, Hicks, the teaching pro, is talented enough to have played at Torrey Pines in February's PGA Tour Buick Invitational.

"Which caused a lot of interesting things for both of us this year," the South Floridian Hicks said. "The tour got us mixed up. Companies got us mixed up. Checks were going to my place; checks were going to his place. They actually withdrew me out of a Nationwide event, because I was committed to the Buick. No, that's not me."

At least a friendship grew out of the confusion. SoCal Hicks came out this week to watch his namesake play a practice round and offered some insight.

"Yeah, that's right," the U.S. Open leader said. "I told my caddie, 'Wow, that's kind of weird, the other Justin Hicks is here with my wife.' He was walking with her and my sister-in-law. There's some weird things going on this week, for sure."

Not the least of them being a career-long minor-leaguer playing his way to the top of the Open leaderboard without making a par over his first nine holes. Beginning play off the No. 10 tee, Hicks made bogey, three straight birdies, back-to-back bogeys and three consecutive birdies. His back nine was a bit more conventional: one birdie and one bogey.

So where did this guy come from?

Off the mini-tour circuit.

"Let's see," Hicks said. "I moved down from Michigan to Florida and started with the South Florida Golf Tour, which collapsed. And then the Golden Bear Tour, which got bought out by the Gateway Tour, which continues on. And I also played some stints with a tour called the Maverick Tour, which the owner ran away with some money and never was heard from again. He bounced me a check for 25 grand, too, for a win."

To get into the Open, Hicks had to advance all the way from local qualifying. He lost a playoff for the final spot in the opening stage, but later was invited to the sectional qualifier as an alternate. From there, he advanced to this week's big show.

Only slightly better know is Streelman, a PGA Tour rookie whose best finish this year is a tie for 14th in Houston. He also was among the first- and second-round (67-69) leaders at Torrey Pines during the Buick before finishing 29th.

"I do enjoy the golf course," Streelman said. "It just suits my eye well."

Meanwhile, Woods clearly favored his left knee while walking and appeared especially careful when squatting to line up a putt. When retrieving his ball from the cup, he bent down on his right leg.

But despite the two double bogeys, he had three birdies and had a pair of strong par saves at 12 and 13 with one-putts of 15 and 12 feet.

"It's just a little sore," Woods said afterward of his left knee. "I just go play."

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534 or melliott@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT