On the Hole, a Bad Day

It probably wouldn’t be a U.S. Open without some sort of controversy.

After shooting six-over 41 on his first nine holes, England’s Ian Poulter thought he had rolled in a par putt on his 10th hole, the par-four first, but the ball bounced out.

Poulter later complained the cup on the hole was not pushed all the way into the ground, causing his bogey.

“There’s enough things to think about out there without wondering whether the hole’s actually been pushed down an inch or not,” Poulter said, “especially when you hit the perfect putt and it comes back at you. It’s a mistake that shouldn’t happen.”

Poulter recovered for a one-over 36 on his back nine and finished, ticked off, at seven-over 77.

Oh, and one more thing: He also said he thought the cup at No. 18 was pushed down too far.

“I’m choosing my words very, very, very, very politely at the minute,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do.”

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The U.S. Open is long enough, but it’s even longer for Corey Pavin, who teed off in the third group at 4:22 a.m. PDT, shot a three-over 73, then boarded a private jet to fly to San Diego in time for his 19-year-old son Ryan’s high school graduation.

“It was an easy decision on what I was going to do,” Pavin said. “Fortunately, it worked out that I played early, could get there tonight and at least do both. The U.S. Open was second in line there.”

Pavin, the 1995 U.S. Open champion, has a 9:37 a.m. PDT tee time for today’s second round.

“I’ll be tired by the end of tomorrow, but it’ll all be worthwhile,” he said.

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What is it with K.J. Choi and making eagles at major events?

On the final day of the 2004 Masters -- the one Phil Mickelson won -- Choi made a dramatic eagle at the 11th hole.

Thursday at Pinehurst, he scored an eagle on the par-five, 565-yard No. 4 hole.

Choi, from South Korea, used a driver and three-iron to reach the green in two, then rolled in a 35-foot putt. He finished one-under 69 on the first day of his fifth U.S. Open.

“This is very tough,” Choi said of the setup this year. “It is not Korean style, where the fairways are wider and the ball lands softer. I concentrate more and am very patient.”

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Aside from the crowned greens, what’s the biggest challenge at Pinehurst?

“You hit the ball in the fairway, and it’s running 40, 50, 60 yards on some holes,” Tiger Woods said. “It’s going to be harder to position your shots.”

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It has been a hard road this year for Rocco Mediate, who has missed the cut or withdrawn from six of his last nine tournaments. Maybe that’s why Mediate, who has battled back problems, felt the need to introduce himself to reporters after his first round of 67.

“Remember me?” he said.

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Rory Sabbatini found himself in a controversy last week at the Booz Allen when he putted out of turn and left the green even though playing partner Ben Crane had not finished the hole -- Sabbatini thought Crane was playing too slowly.

There shouldn’t have been any problem Thursday at Pinehurst, because Sabbatini was in the first group of the day, at 4 a.m. PDT, with no one ahead of him.

Sabbatini shot a 72 and said he “played nicely.”

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Associated Press contributed to this report.