AP News, September 13th, 2007
Tim Clark tied the course record at East Lake with an 8-under 62 and hardly anyone was surprised Thursday at the Tour Championship, the final playoff event that felt more like preseason with such easy conditions.
The greens, already soft as officials tried to nurture them back to life from a heat wave, turned into sponges after a three-hour storm delay and the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup took aim at every flag.
No one did it better than Clark, at least among those who finished.
Only 10 players finished the first round, and there was no guarantee his 62 would hold up.
Tiger Woods, who can win the FedEx Cup with a victory at the Tour Championship, birdied his first three holes and was at 4 under with seven holes still remaining and conditions not expected to become any tougher on Friday.
Clark wouldn't even be at East Lake if not for a 67-67 weekend at the BMW Championship, where he tied for fifth and barely cracked the top 30 to qualify for the Tour Championship. He kept right on rolling, or at least slogging, through rain-softened conditions.
"Having a good Sunday round last week, I had a bit of confidence," Clark said.
His 62 tied the record set by Bart Bryant in the first round of the 2005 Tour Championship.
Padraig Harrington, in the first group off when the greens were at their smoothest, birdied his last four holes for a 63, while John Rollins rode a 3-iron into 20 feet for eagle on the 15th hole for a 64.
Steve Stricker and Phil Mickelson, who are chasing Woods in the FedEx Cup, probably need to find another gear. Stricker was at 1 over through 11 holes, one of only five players over par, while Mickelson was 3 over through his first five holes until he birdied the last three holes of the front nine to get back to even, then picked up a birdie at No. 12 to reach 1 under when play was stopped by darkness.
The first round will resume at 8 a.m. Friday.
