Acushnet chief says technology debate healthy

NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Acushnet chief Wally Uihlein believes the relationship between manufacturers and ruling bodies is "180 degrees improved" from where it was 20 years ago. That doesn't mean the two sides do not - nor should not - disagree on technology issues. "I really think we need to let the ruling bodies define the issues and the manufacturers, in the spirit of those ruled upon, need to continue to provide the tension, which ensures the dialogue is open and progressive," Uihlein said. He spoke last week at the Bay Club, where he introduced Acushnet's new ownership, a Korean consortium called Alexandria Holdings. The new Acushnet chairman is Gene Yoon, who said that all operations at Acushnet's headquarters of Fairhaven, Mass., will stay the same. The debate between tradition and technology has been around more than a century, and that is not likely to change. Uihlein said he can make an argument "for or against bifurcation" - different equipment rules for pros and amateurs - although that should not be an agenda that any manufacturer could promote. "We still have a commercial genesis to that thought process," he said. "We can't argue that we have the best interest in the game. We can make that argument, but the fact is we represent the commercial landscape. And so, it doesn't matter how noble our argument is. It's still going to be seen as to some degree commercially prejudiced." Uihlein said it's up to the R&A and the USGA to not only set the rules, but to assume greater responsibility in the game's future. "If not, who does?" he said. "There's always going to be that question of whose game is it, and who's responsible for its perpetuation and sustenance." PRESIDENTS CUP: Brandt Snedeker has made the biggest jump without winning in the FedEx Cup playoffs, going from No. 18 to No. 5 with a tie for third at The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship. He also has made a swift climb in the U.S. standings for the Presidents Cup, and now is only the equivalent of $28,016 behind David Toms at No. 10. There was some movement in Boston, but not enough to clarify everything. The top 10 players earn spots on the U.S. team before Fred Couples doles out his captain's pick (one already goes to Tiger Woods). Jim Furyk finished sixth, moving him up to No. 9 - but he is only $15,809 ahead of Toms, and $43,825 ahead of Snedeker (each dollar counts two points in the standings). Toms is $28,016 ahead of Snedeker - that's how much 44th place earns at the BMW Championship, which is the last qualifying event. Charles Howell III at No. 23 is as low as anyone on the list with a mathematical chance of qualifying. Rickie Fowler might have hurt his chances the most. He started the final round only three shots out of the lead, but closed with a 77 and tied for 52nd, leaving behind big points. He now is $700,287 behind the 10th spot and would have to finish alone in second or win at the BMW Championship to assure playing his way onto the team. BELLY BLUNDER: Brandt Jobe has been so frustrated with his putting over the last few months that he stopped having fun. It reached a point at the Deutsche Bank Championship that he decided to use a belly putter in the third round. This is nothing new for Jobe, who briefly used a belly putter some five years ago. But it had been so long that he didn't want to make a full commitment, so he kept two putters in the bag for the third round - his belly putter and the conventional model. "I've been hitting it real good and putting so bad that the last month hasn't been fun," Jobe said. "It was getting to the end of the year and I had nothing to lose, but I didn't want to shoot 80 if it didn't go well." With an extra putter, something had to give to stay at the 14-club limit, so he removed his 4-iron. Bad move. "I needed a 4-iron four times today," Jobe said, laughing at himself. He figured he would use his hybrid off a couple of tees, and he was counting on the tee at par-3 11th being a 3-iron. But the wind shifted and Jobe was stuck. He used 3-iron on the par-3 eight and went long, and 5-iron on the 11th and came up short. Even more comical was the belly putter, and his caddie's reaction. On the first three holes, Jobe missed a birdie putt from about 15 feet, a par putt from 6 feet and he three-putted his third hole. He drove the green at No. 4, and his caddie handed him the short putter. "I said, 'What are you doing? No, we're going to stick it out,'" Jobe said. "And we made eagle." WORLD CUP: The Presidents Cup could feature about 18 of the top 50 players in the world ranking on Nov. 17-20 in Melbourne. The World Cup is the following week in China, and it could have just as many. An event that seemed to be losing top players - particularly from America - is attracting one of its strongest fields. Six of the two-man teams have both players currently in the top 50 in the world, while Northern Ireland (Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell) and South Africa (Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen) have two major champions. The United States offers its strongest team in nearly 10 years by sending Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland. The defending champion from 2009 is Italy with Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, while England again puts up a strong tandem of Ian Poulter and Justin Rose. Then there's Denmark, with Anders Hansen and Thomas Bjorn both inside the top 30. Five players from Australia passed on the opportunity to play until Richard Green accepted a spot. Then again, the World Cup is the same week as the Australian PGA Championship, and comes right in the heart of the Australasian Tour schedule. DIVOTS: Starting in 2014, the British Open will move away from holding final local qualifying at links courses near where the Open is held that year. Instead, the four qualifiers will be held at four courses each year in three parts of England (Hillside, Woburn and Royal Cinque Ports) and Scotland (Glasgow-Gailes). The R&A said the change is to make it more convenient for players to qualify. ... Patrick Cantlay has won the Mark H McCormack Medal as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the end of the amateur summer season. He secured that spot with his runner-up finish in the U.S. Amateur. Cantlay had been No. 1 for the previous 13 weeks. Cantlay will receive his award this week at the Walker Cup in Scotland. ... The LPGA Tour has launched an official Korean version of its website that will feature live scoring, player information and enhanced blogs with special Korean content. The LPGA already has a website geared toward the Japanese audience. STAT OF THE WEEK: Ten players on the PGA Tour already have earned more than $2 million this year without winning a tournament. FINAL WORD: "The season is so condensed that it's a weird feeling. It's early September and it feels like October." - Brandt Jobe, competing in his first FedEx Cup playoffs.

PGA Tour Confidential: The Deutsche Bank Championship

Every week of the 2011 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below. BIG WEEK FOR THE BELLY Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : Greetings, fellow Confidentialists. Another interesting week in our global golf village. In Boston, Webb Simpson (and his long putter) wins again. In Ponte Vedra, the Tour players win again (with their new TV contract). On the Euro Tour, the Great Dane, Thomas Bjorn, wins again. But the news of the week really has to be long putters. Golf's original Independent Thinker, Mr. Phil Mickelson, went to the long wand in Boston, and the stigma against the broomstick is fading fast. What do we think, folks, about the belly putter? Is it good for the game? Will it someday become as commonplace as the 60-degree wedge? I, for one, can't stand it. I'll be buying one immediately. Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated : There was a point this weekend when I thought to myself, "I wonder if I should try a belly putter?" I guess that says it all. Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : I'm not buying that it's an advantage, but it certainly works. So does The Claw, as Chris DiMarco once proved. The guy who is selling an extension to turn any putter into a belly putter is a guy in the right place at the right time with the right product. I will be writing about him shortly. Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : It's a bad look but ultimately not that big of a deal. It's legal and available to everyone. Time to stop kvetching and get used to it because at this rate half the Tour will be using one next year. Ryan Reiterman, senior producer, Golf.com : I hate it. But if my livelihood depended on making five-footers, I would use everything under the rules of golf to make 'em. Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated : I can't stand the belly putter. I think it should be abolished. Putting is a difficult skill, and the best putters always seemed to overcome those tingling fingers and hands we all feel over a short putt. The broomsticks and bellies fundamentally change what that all-important 14th club is supposed to do and be. David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com : So many guys are rock solid from tee to green, but we all know that tournaments are usually won or lost on the greens. With so little separating the guy who wins from the guy who comes in 30th, why wouldn't you try a belly or long putter? I'm only surprised that it has taken this long for a run of long-putter wins to happen. Stephanie Wei, contributor, SI Golf+ : This weekend I stuck a club in my belly and made some practice strokes. Now I understand what everyone means when they say you can't miss short putts. I'd consider trying one now, and I wouldn't have a few months ago. Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group : The long putter has been around for what, 30 years? It's here to stay. Look for a long-putter guru to make a killing showing us civilians how to use it. Wei : Was anyone really that surprised Phil turned to the belly putter this week? C'mon, you all had to have seen it coming! Herre : I didn't. Phil was, arguably, the best putter of his generation. A sea change. Van Sickle : Had Phil used a belly putter well at the British Open, he might have won it by four. Bamberger : It's asking a lot to think any of us are just going to put it in our bags and get some putting magic. It's a different thing, and as Jim says it requires instruction. It was only two years ago that Phil was loving what Dave Stockton was telling him, re-emphasizing the forward press. Now, with the belly, no forward press. It sounds much more scientific and logical. Do we think Phil will stay with it? It's hard to imagine him using it at Augusta, isn't it? Van Sickle : Yes, Phil will stay with it. He's never admitted to having some form of the yips, but based on his short putting in recent months, it's clear he's got some kind of glitch or flinch. That said, he can't afford to go to Augusta without the belly putter. No place has scarier three-footers than Augusta. Charlie Hanger, executive editor, Golf.com : Phil is always changing things around, but if it's working for him come April, I don't think he'd hesitate to bring it to the National. Herre : If Phil has consistent success with the thing, he'll stay with it. Augusta, with its fast undulating greens, will be the acid test for the belly boys. Conventional wisdom holds that the belly is great for shortish putts, not so much for big-breaking, longer feel putts. Dusek : People don't realize how often Phil changed traditional-length putters. He's used several different models this season, but it all comes down to commitment. For a while Phil was committed to Dave Pelz's methodology, then he drifted to Dave Stockton. If he is truly committed to the belly putter and gets some success with it in the coming weeks, then I think he'll stick with it for a while. Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com : There was a time when Phil would tee it up with two drivers in his bag — one for a draw, one for a fade. Maybe he'll be the first to use two putters in the same round — a standard stick for lags, and a belly for the short ones. Hack : Maybe one for the right-to-left breakers and one for the left-to-righters? Gorant : Phil seems to be endlessly tinkering: two drivers, five wedges, etc. I bet he switches back and forth a few times over the coming years. Van Sickle : Remember when Ernie Els was outraged after Trevor Immelman won using a long putter? Ernie is now a convert. A very interesting phenomenon. Wonder how many of us amateur hacks are actually going to pick up belly putters to try out? Gorant : Ernie still says it should be banned, but as long as it's not, he's going to use it. Wei : They won't be banned now. Golf's governing bodies missed the boat on that one. Plus, if it were such an advantage, why isn't everyone using one? Why was Keegan Bradley the first to win a major with a belly? Van Sickle : It's funny how things have changed. The club has gone from being perceived as a crutch to making players wonder if it's actually an advantage. Hanger : It can't really be as easy to use as it looks on TV, can it? Who among us has tried it, and what did you think? (Beyond the impracticality of packing them for trips.) Bamberger : I think they are difficult to use, but maybe I need more instruction. The pros can make anything look easy. I feel even MORE uncoordinated with it. Herre : I've tried it a few times with no success, but I'm not much of a putter with a conventional club. Van Sickle : I've always thought there's a pretty big learning curve to get good with a belly or a long putter. I use the claw grip, almost no learning curve there. But you've gotta do what you've gotta do. If you can't putt, you can't play golf. Shipnuck : Phil is close to Couples and maybe sees him as a cautionary tale, a guy whose all-around game is superb into his 50s but who kicked away countless wins with spotty short putting. If this extends Phil's run as a big-time player, then I'm OK with it. Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine : I watched Adam Scott's stroke with the belly, and he barely holds onto it at all with his right hand. He has two fingers barely on the club. One-putt Webb seems to have it figured out. Van Sickle : Not sure Adam Scott has it all figured out. This was his second bad finish in a FedEx Cup event. He was in contention at the Barclays, then shot 42 coming in and dropped out of the top 40. He also faded in Boston. Not necessarily due to putting but still a cautionary tale. Bamberger : This whole long putter discussion is another reminder that change in golf comes from the top. Pros made the 60-degree wedge acceptable, and the 7-wood and the massive driver, and now the long putter. For good or for bad, we take cues from them. Herre : Right, Michael. That's why most leading manufacturers of golf equipment are against bifurcation. Tell us what you think: Is the belly putter good for the game? Would you try one? Tweet

Thomas Bjorn of Denmark wins European Masters

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) — Thomas Bjorn won back-to-back titles for the first time in his career, shooting a 9-under 62 Sunday to take the European Masters by four strokes. Bjorn made nine birdies and an eagle in a blistering final round to finish with a 20-under total of 264 to earn the $473,000 winner's prize. The victory came a week after the 40-year-old Dane won a five-man playoff in Gleneagles, Scotland, and is his third title of the year. Before 2011, he had not won two titles in one year on the European Tour since 1998. "It's been a remarkable week. Golf feels pretty easy at the moment but that's not always the case," Bjorn said. "Any time you go out and shoot 62 on Sunday you have got to be delighted." Germany's Martin Kaymer began his round at an even more furious pace, with two eagles on his first five holes followed by birdies on Nos. 7 and 8. But he finished his round with 10 straight pars for a 65. "If you are 6 under after eight holes you are always expecting more," said Kaymer, who was fighting a cold. "I was feeling sick and it was difficult but after that start I was fired up and wanted to win." U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot 68 to finish tied for third at 15 under with Jaco van Zyl of South Africa and overnight leader Jamie Donaldson of Wales. "Thomas is a very popular winner," said McIlroy, who felt "100 percent" three weeks after injuring his right wrist and arm at the PGA Championship. "I had a few missed opportunities out there but to shoot in the 60s for all four days is good." No. 5 Kaymer and No. 6 McIlroy hoped for victory here to help them climb in the rankings over two Americans immediately above them, Steve Stricker and Dustin Johnson, who were playing in Boston this weekend. Bjorn is set to move into the top 30 from 59th when new rankings are confirmed Monday. A non-playing vice captain for Europe's victorious Ryder Cup team last year, Bjorn also took the early lead in the qualification race to defend the trophy in the United States next year. "There's remarkable talent on display in European golf. We will take it one step at a time but if I can keep playing well and stay healthy, there's always a chance," said Bjorn, who played on winning teams in 1997 and 2002. McIlroy said Saturday that it was possible to shoot 62 and win the tournament - and Bjorn proved him right. Bjorn, who was 2 over early in Thursday's opening round, could even afford bogeys at the fourth and 12th holes Sunday. He followed up the first one by making four straight birdies, and added another at the 11th. After his second bogey he appeared to be in trouble again when his second shot at the par-5 14th landed in deep rough beyond the green-side lake. "Fourteen was a big break," said Bjorn, who found a decent lie and got down in two for a birdie. He then sank a 12-footer for eagle at the par-5 15th. Already clear of the field, Bjorn buried two more eight-foot putts at the closing par-4s to shoot the lowest score of the week in the thin, Alpine air. Kaymer was four off the lead overnight and started his charge early. He eagled the par-5 first and added another at the fifth, finally taming a par-4 he had described as "easy" all week. The 2010 PGA Champion then birdied the seventh and par-3 eighth to take the outright lead. But Kaymer's challenge stalled when the former top-ranked player failed to make a birdie after the turn. McIlroy birdied the first two holes to share the lead at 14 under, sinking a 25-footer at the second before his putter went cold. The Northern Irishman three-putted at the 339-yard fifth after driving beyond the pin and let mid-range chances slip at the seventh, ninth and 11th. "If I did convert those chances then it might be a different day," said McIlroy, who threatened with birdies at the back-to-back par-5s as Bjorn raced clear. Second-ranked Lee Westwood began the day trailing Donaldson by one stroke and birdied the first, but carded a 70 to finish 14 under, tied for sixth place. Before being presented with the trophy on the 18th green, Bjorn and a packed grandstand of spectators watched a tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros, for whom the course is named. "For my generation, he was everything to the game of golf," Bjorn said of the three-time winner here and his captain at the '97 Ryder Cup. "He was a true inspiration to everybody and a wonderful friend. I take a lot of pride in having known the man."

England's Gary Christian wins Mylan Classic

CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) — England's Gary Christian won the Nationwide Tour's Mylan Classic on Sunday, shoointg a 4-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over John Mallinger. The 40-year-old Christain earned $108,000 to jump from 27th to fourth on the money list with $230,040. The top 25 at the end of the season will earn 2012 PGA Tour cards. "I'm biting my lip a little bit and I might be struggling. I'm not usually at a loss for words, but this might be one of those rare occasions," Christian said. "It's like a dream come true." Christian, a former Auburn player, finished at 17-under 267 on the Southpointe course. "I think it was meant to be this week," said Christian, also the winner of the tour's 2009 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic. "Walking down the fairway today I was thinking it's just my time." Mallinger closed with a 68. Craig Bowden (66) and Scott Brown (67) tied for third at 15 under. India's Rahil Gangjee became the third player in Nationwide Tour history to make a hole-in-one on a par 4. He used a driver to ace the 316-yard 15th, and finished with a 70 to tie for 32nd at 6 under. "I was just trying to get it on the green, that was it. When it's a driveable hole, you think you can get it close and maybe make eagle, but a hole-in-one, nobody thinks about that," Gangjee said.

Rory McIlroy takes share of European Masters lead

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) — Rory McIlroy shot a 2-under 69 Friday to share the lead after the second round of the European Masters. The U.S. Open winner, who had an eagle two and a double-bogey 7, is 8 under along with Englishmen Gary Boyd, Simon Dyson and Jamie Donaldson of Wales. McIlroy missed a 4-foot putt for birdie at the 18th. "I really wanted to make that to get into the lead on my own," the Northern Irishman said. "All in all, I'm tied for the lead and it's not a bad position to be in." Morning leader Nick Dougherty of England ended his 21-tournament streak of failing to make the cut, shooting 72 to finish 7 under. Dougherty has not reached weekend play since the Singapore Open in November 2010. Joining Dougherty one stroke behind the leaders were Martin Kaymer of Germany, Jaco van Zyl of South Africa, Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay and Danny Willett of England. World No. 5 Kaymer and sixth-ranked McIlroy can climb to third with victory here. Second-ranked Lee Westwood also shot 69 and is two shots back on 6 under with nine other players. Starting his round after lunch, McIlroy hit possibly the day's best shot when driving to the pin at the 339-yard fifth, fading right over trees to bypass the dog-leg fairway. He sank the 2-footer for an eagle he described as "pretty special," but gave back both shots on the 629-yard ninth. McIlroy pushed his second shot right onto the 10th fairway - drawing a bemused glance from Kaymer striding in the opposite direction - and eventually three-putted from 4 feet. "I was pretty frustrated heading into the back nine," McIlroy said, "but I played OK. There's been a lot of traffic on (the greens). You start becoming a little tentative." McIlroy steadied himself and only a birdie at the 15th interrupted his sequence of pars. Kaymer had his own double bogey at the par-3 16th, taking four shots from the green edge after his tee shot found a small hole. "Sixteen was a joke," said the 2010 U.S. PGA champion, who criticized the putting surfaces. "The greens have become really bad in the afternoon. There are a lot of other guys who got stuck at seven or eight under." Kaymer cheered up at the prospect of challenging McIlroy for the title and a higher ranking. "Maybe we can play with each other on Sunday for the victory - that would be fantastic," Kaymer, a former No. 1 said.

Dougherty shoots 63, McIlroy 2 back in Switzerland

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) — Nick Dougherty shot an 8-under 63 Thursday to lead Rory McIlroy by two shots after the first round of the European Masters. The Englishman had eight birdies in a bogey-free round, while McIlroy had five birdies in his first eight holes. It's McIlroy's first tournament since injuring his right wrist three weeks ago. "It's totally fine," McIlroy said. "I'm able to hit all the shots I want to and not lose any distance." Martin Kaymer, Lee Sung and Gary Boyd also were two shots behind the leader. Kaymer had seven birdies and just one bogey. McIlroy showed no ill effects from the injury he sustained after hitting a tree root during the PGA Championship. He spent two weeks spent recuperating in the United States with his girlfriend, top-ranked tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. "It's a great way to start the week," said McIlroy, the U.S. Open winner who can rise to No. 3 in the rankings with a victory. "I'm sixth and I want to get higher." McIlroy's steady round took off with birdie putts of 3 feet and 20 feet at No. 2 and No. 3. His only blemish was a 5 at the fourth hole after hooking his tee shot into trees. But he recovered with a 12-footer on the next hole, then made a 14-foot, downhill putt for birdie at the sixth. Second-ranked Lee Westwood and British Open winner Darren Clarke were in a group of six players at 4 under. Westwood's adventurous round included two eagles and a double bogey. He missed short par-saving putts at each of the final two holes. Kaymer made a sensational a 40-foot putt for birdie at the short eighth hole, then finished with a birdie at No. 9. Dougherty has missed the cut at 21 straight events and has no earnings on the European Tour money list. "It's the first time I've manned up and had a go at it," he said. "I deserved every one of those eight under pars." The strong field reflects the popularity of the scenic course in the Swiss Alps. It's also the first tournament that counts toward qualifying for the European team to face the United States at the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Workers scramble to get course ready after hurricane

NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Kevin Chappell felt a deep sense of appreciation when he arrived at the TPC Boston for the second FedEx Cup playoff event. He is among 10 rookies on the PGA Tour who are still hopeful of getting to the Tour Championship for a shot at the $10 million prize. A tie for third at the U.S. Open assured him of his first trip to the Masters next year, and a return to the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club, a short drive from his hometown of Fresno, Calif. Only his feelings had nothing to do with his playoff performance, or anything else about his game. Hurricane Irene altered his travel plans, and he showed up at the Deutsche Bank Championship earlier than expected. It gave Chappell a chance to see what a tournament looks like before the show starts - especially a tournament that had to prepare for a hurricane. About a week before the tournament was to get under way, workers stripped 95 percent of the signage around the TPC Boston. The green mesh around bleachers and TV towers was removed, leaving a rudimentary appearance of steel poles and wood. Some of the corporate boxes and video boards were either taken down or were delayed going up. And on Monday, there was no power on the golf course. He registered in the clubhouse - in the dark. "It was like a ghost town around here," Chappell said. "It was a little bit humbling to see what goes into tournaments. We get worked up over missing a cut, and it's not the end of the world. You have people out here working their butts off to make sure we have a well-run golf tournament. "It's pretty special what we get to do." As he hit balls on the practice range, the sound of power drills could be heard in the distance as the blue-and-white Deutsche Bank signs were being replaced, scoreboards were being erected again. Carts zipped around the course to remove debris from limbs that had fallen in the 50 mph wind and rain on Sunday. Eric Baldwin, the tournament director, spent Sunday at home with his family - the pro-am featuring former Boston athletes two days away and players due to arrive. He said it takes about six weeks to get everything ready, with the final week for putting on the finishing touches. "We still had 25 to 30 tents that we never put up until the storm passed," Baldwin said. "We took down some of the wind screens. We removed 95 percent of the signage. And then we had no power. Our office went offline for two days so we had to set up a temporary office." The tournament doesn't start until Friday, which helped. Most of the 99 players in the field began showing up Wednesday for practice rounds. The TPC Boston looked like it always does - immaculate landscape, grandstands and scoreboards in place, the refrigerators in the locker room humming with electricity, stocked with every kind of drink. "They will have little to any sense that anything happened," Baldwin said. "That's a testament to all of the guys who do the hard work and never get credit." The pro-am is Thursday, followed by the opening round on Friday, when players will at least try to get into the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings and advance to the third playoff event in two weeks outside Chicago, one step closer to being in the top 30 at the Tour Championship. Chappell is at No. 74, putting him on the wrong side of the bubble. He achieved the first goal of his rookie season by securing his card next year, helped by a runner-up finish at the Texas Open. Then came the U.S. Open, and while never had a chance to win - no one did at Congressional except Rory McIlroy, who won by eight shots - Chappell closed with a 66 to tie for third. He started these FedEx Cup playoffs at No. 88 and went to The Barclays knowing he only had to make the cut to advance to the second round. It was an odd kind of pressure, for Chappell can't recall going into any tournament this year with such a modest goal. "There were probably a few tournaments - with where my game was - that I should have thought about making the cut," he said with a laugh. "But no. It would be hard if you're only goal was to make the cut. I'm on the bubble now, and I've got to jump from that No. 74 spot." Dustin Johnson won the playoff opener at The Barclays with a 65 in the final round of a 54-hole tournament that was cut short by the hurricane. With the points counting five times as much in the playoffs, he moved to No. 1 on the list, followed by Barclays runner-up Matt Kuchar. They left behind a course at Plainfield in which several fairways on the back nine had turned into miniature lakes after Irene came through New Jersey. Players and others don't see the work that goes into getting ready for a big PGA Tour event. No one is around to see the cleanup, either.