It’s almost as if Matt Kuchar’s favorite recliner was re-upholstered. It took a little while to get comfortable in it again.
Kuchar played East Lake Golf Club countless times as a member of the Georgia Tech golf team. In three trips back as a professional at the Tour Championship, the crowning event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, there were adjustments to be made. The rebuilt greens are firmer. You can’t get up-and-down from the same places any more. The absence of Bermuda rough down the stretch on the PGA Tour season requires a regained feel for the grass that bites.
Kuchar shot a 3-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Tour Championship on Thursday and is tied for third behind leaders Tiger Woods and Justin Rose.
“I feel more comfortable with the course,” Kuchar said.
Comfort, like knowing after hitting a wayward drive to the right on No. 17 that the proper play was to run his approach shot into the greenside bunker. He made par from the sand — one of five such saves on the day — to get off to a much better start than in his previous trips back.
Kuchar entered this year’s Tour Championship 16th in the FedEx Cup points standings, not nearly the position of his first two tournaments. In 2010, he was the points leader, but shot an opening-round 72, finished tied for 25th and was second to Jim Furyk in the standings. Last year, he entered fifth in the points standings, but closed with a final-round 73 to finish tied for 20th and was sixth in the final standings. His scoring average was nearly a stroke over par at 70.75.
“It’s nice to get off to a good start,” said Kuchar, who still considers Atlanta a hometown. “My first two Tour Championships didn’t go quite as nice as I would have liked.”
Kuchar had save saves on Nos. 1, 8, 11, 14 and 17. He capped the par on No. 1 with a 15-foot putt. He sank a 25-foot putt for birdie on No. 2, the first of four birdies to go with just one bogey.
“Didn’t hit it that well, didn’t drive it that well particularly, but putted fantastic,” said Kuchar, who needed just 26 putts.
Even with his Tech degree, Kuchar said he doesn’t get caught up in the scenarios it would take to win the FedEx Cup. He would have to win the Tour Championship and have Rory McIlroy finish 10th or worse, Woods finish fifth or worse, Nick Watney finish fourth or worse and Phil Mickelson, Brandt Snedeker and Louis Oosthuizen finish third or worse. A tall task.
“The last two years was fun being inside the top five. Pretty simple knowing if you win, you win the FedEx Cup. This year I come in 16th and need more things to go my way. But I’ll just try to play as well as I can and not really think about how everybody else is doing.”
Kuchar is back in Atlanta, where he and his family are rekindling friendships, giving away tickets and enjoying a barbeque. It’s nice to be home.
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