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Furyk's Swing Gets Job Done In First Round

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By MICK ELLIOTT

melliott@tampatrib.com

Published: March 20, 2009

Updated: 03/20/2009 12:57 am

PALM HARBOR - Jim Furyk's golf is so good nobody talks about his swing anymore.

Furyk is the guy who arrived on the PGA Tour in 1994 and made analysts with Telestrators hyperventilate. His unconventional, looping swing was memorably described by commentator David Feherty as "an octopus falling out of a tree."

Fifteen years and 13 PGA Tour victories (including the 2003 U.S. Open) later, Furyk's swing still defies convention, but it is now spoken of with reverence for its results.

On Thursday, Furyk again showed way, opening the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook Resort with a 6-under 65 for a one-shot lead over Stephen Ames. Two shots back at 67 are world No. 8 Kenny Perry, Mathew Goggin and Jonathan Byrd. Nine players, including reigning Masters champion Trevor Immelman and Tom Lehman, are tied at 3-under 68.

"I'm obviously very happy playing such a good round and getting off to a good start, something I can build on," Furyk said.

After more than $39 million in PGA Tour winnings, Furyk's swing no longer needs explaining. These days it is recognized for dependability.

"It was a big deal early in my career," Furyk said. "I kind of shed that after the first couple of years when people realized that I was going to be around for a while.

"My rookie year, I would play a good round like I did today, I would come into the press room and spend 20 minutes, 19 of it talking about my swing and one talking about my round."

These days, Furyk is known as one of the game's top ball strikers, most accurate drivers and most hard-nosed competitors. His 69.69 stroke average last year was eighth-best on tour. He has appeared on six U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Although he went winless last season for the third time since joining the tour, Furyk had nine top 10s and was fifth in FedEx Cup points.

"I think that I've really improved as a ball striker over the last 15 years," Furyk said. "I think I was a very average ball striker when I came on tour with a good short game, and I learned to become a good ball striker, by tour standards, and got better as the years went on. Might be one of the reasons why people quit talking about it."

Furyk, 38, had seven birdies and one bogey Thursday and needed only 25 putts.

Beginning at No. 10 on the Copperhead, he birdied Nos. 11, 12, 14 and 18 to make the turn 4 under. More birdies fell on Furyk's first, second and sixth holes of his back nine before a bogey on the par-3 eighth from 2 feet off the green.

He saved par on the final hole with a 40-foot putt.

"Obviously, you don't want to go out bogeying the last two holes," he said. "Would have been a disappointing feeling after playing so well for the first 16 holes, so I felt good about knocking that putt in for a good start to the week."

As good as Furyk's start was, it earned him only a one-shot cushion over Ames's six-birdie, one-bogey effort.

Last year's tournament-winning score by Sean O'Hair was 4 under, earned in tough, windy conditions.

Thursday was a near-perfect scoring day, with little wind and the course surprisingly soft as a result of heavy watering. With an overly healthy rough, staying out of deep grass was the day's first demand. Furyk hit 11 of 13 fairways and 13 greens in regulation. Ames found 10 fairways and 14 greens.

"Obviously, I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, which is I think the key this week," Ames said. "The rough is very much up, and you miss too many fairways out here it's going to be tough to make a lot of birdies, or any birdies, period.

"This golf course, very much emphasis is on keeping it in the fairway. I'm sure Mr. Furyk was not far behind, Mr. Accurate on the tour."

By The Numbers

Consecutive rounds shot in the 60s by first-day leader Jim Furyk, who posted a 65. Furyk's streak includes four rounds at Doral last week on his way to finishing third.

Yards of day's longest tee ball, launched by Nick Watney on the 11th hole.

Golfers in the 144-player field who broke par.

Shots over par by defending champ Sean O'Hair.

Greens hit in regulation by Brendon de Jonge and Rod Pampling, the day's best.

Shot of the Day

On Innisbrook's signature No. 14, a 590-yard par 5, Ben Crane made eagle.

From 277 yards out, Crane's 3-wood second shot came to a stop 11 feet from the pin.

He finished the day 3 under and tied for sixth place.

Hole of the Day

No. 2

The 435-yard par 4 with water along the right side played as the day's most difficult hole, requiring a stroke average of 4.292. It gave up 11 birdies, but produced 43 bogeys and five doubles.

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534.

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