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Thursday
Sep102009

It's a traffic jam on Dubsdread

Writing from Lemont, Ill.
Thursday, September 10, 2009

The first round of the 106th Western Open, known on the marquee these days as the BMW Championship, started in rousing fashion Thursday morning at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club.

There was a traffic jam, with a 12-minute wait to go about 1.5 miles to the parking lot. This was not only news, but good news, because there hadn't been a traffic jam at Cog Hill during a weekday round of the Western since 2006. Last year, the championship was played out of town, at Bellerive Country Club near St. Louis. Two years ago, Chicago golf fans showed extreme disinterest in the Western being played after Labor Day, with a limited field and a changed name. No more than 10,000 people were on hand.

Thursday morning, there may have been that many on the course by 11:03 a.m., when Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods and Heath Slocum teed off on No. 10.

By 1 p.m., with the entire field of 69 – Paul Casey withdrew late Wednesday because of a nagging rib injury – on the course, Geoff Ogilvy was the leader, 4-under-par through eight holes on the back nine. Pat Perez and Chad Campbell, also starting on the back, were 3-under, with Perez standing on the first tee and Campbell opening birdie-eagle thanks to a 3 on the par-5 11th. A gaggle of players were 2-under.

Woods? He was 1-under through seven holes.

A complete report at the conclusion of play; updates as warranted.

– Tim Cronin

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