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Stricker starts with 73 in U.S. Open

SAN DIEGO — Steve Stricker, playing in one of his favorite tournaments, was on top of the U.S. Open leaderboard early Thursday, but he fell back just as quickly as he ascended.

Stricker opened with a 2-over-par 73 on Torrey Pines Golf Course’s tricky South Course.

Despite a shaky second nine, he still was only five strokes behind co-leaders Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks going into Friday’s 2:52 p.m. (CST) second-round tee time with a threesome that includes K.J. Choi and Jim Furyk.

Stricker, 41, had taken two weeks off to recharge himself after four consecutive missed cuts between the Masters and the Crowne Plaza Colonial Invitational. The time away from the game appeared to do the Edgerton native some good. He made four birdies en route to a 4-under 32 by the turn.

That marked the first time the PGA Tour’s 2007 comeback player of the year had held the lead in the U.S. Open since he made a birdie on the sixth hole in the final round a year ago at Oakmont (Pa.). Stricker lost that ’07 lead with bogey on the next hole, shot 42 on the back nine for a 76 and finished in a tie for 13th place.

Just like that final round at Oakmont, Stricker struggled on his second nine Thursday. When he reached the first hole, his 10th of the day, the round of no mistakes unraveled.

By the end of the round, Stricker had recorded one double bogey and four bogeys. Not only did he lose his lead, but he fell to the 2-over-par overall total with a 41 for his second nine.

“For awhile there, I was thinking about jumping in the canyon,” Stricker said. “It was a good start and then a bad back side. Actually, I don’t know. Just some holes jumped up and caught me.”

Stricker’s first round was a microcosm of this season. After losing a playoff in the season-opening Mercedes Championship in Hawaii, he followed with a tie for fourth place at the Sony Open and continued to play well through the West Coast and Florida. He totaled four top-10 finishes and two other top 14s.

But since his tie for sixth place at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral, Stricker has made only one cut—an 11th-place tie at the Shell Houston Open.

“There’s a couple physical feelings that I have going on in my swing that I’m fighting against,” Stricker said. “And it’s been hard to … I’ve lost some confidence a little bit over the last couple months, but it is what it is. It’s just the nature of this game.”

Admitting to a bit of burnout after such a stellar 2007 season that included his first win since 2001 at The Barclays, Stricker said he is not lacking desire. He dearly wants to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he also is fighting a hitch in his swing that is causing him to miss a few more fairways than he’s accustomed.

On Thursday, he hit eight of 14 fairways, but only nine greens in regulation

His start was encouraging as his four birdies were all within 20 feet.

“That’s what I need to concentrate on,” Stricker said. “I feel like I’m close to playing really well again. I just have to sort out a few things to put me over the top. I definitely have to look at the round as a positive.”

A year ago, Stricker opened the U.S. Open with a 5-over 75, but fought back with middle rounds of 73-68 to move into contention. It’s a fact not lost on Stricker.

“I’ve had worse opening rounds than 73,” he said in comparing Thursday’s score to his first round at Oakmont last year. “So it’s a good start, even though the way I got there wasn’t the way I wanted. But it’s a good start.”