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Stenson started well enough with a tap-in
birdie before the sun had barely risen above the Texas horizon,
but he cooled down as the weather warmed up at Golf Club of
Houston, dropping four shots in a miserable three-hole stretch
on the back nine before clawing back birdies at the final two
holes.
The Swede has finally consigned to the scrapheap the trusty old
Callaway three-wood that played a big role in his resurgence
this decade, and which he used with such clinical efficiency to
rise to number two in the world and to win the 2016 British Open
at Royal Troon.
While newer models are more forgiving of mishits, Stenson clung
to his old club for longer than most since first using it in
2011.
He eschewed hitting his driver more than most, instead smashing
low rockets with the old three-wood, sacrificing a few yards of
carry in lush conditions but less on the firm links of Troon
where the ball rolled and then some.
"It was time to get something new," Stenson said. "Technology
has moved on."
While Stenson battled on Thursday, Cook could hardly have
started better, playing the front nine in seven under par as he
turned in 29 strokes, before stalling slightly in the inward
half.
Gooch, conversely, did most of his damage on the back nine,
picking up five strokes to match his fellow American on 64, a
stroke better than Austrian Sepp Straka.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by
Richard Pullin)
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