Hampden’s Hickson shoots a 73; putts don’t fall

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NORTON, Mass. – John Hickson had said before Friday’s opening round of the PGA Tour’s Deutsche Bank Championship that putting could be the key.

Hickson, head pro at Sunday River Golf Club in Newry, was right as it turned out to be both a blessing and a curse.

The Hampden native just missed a number of putts either left or right, but he also left most of them close for easy tap-in pars en route to a 2-over-par 73.

Tiger Woods, whose namesake foundation is the major charitable beneficiary of the tournament, grabbed the early lead with a 6-under-par 65. He leads Carlos Franco, Briny Baird, Steve Lowery, and Billy Andrade by a stroke.

The other Maine pro in the field, Biddeford-Saco assistant Terry Hatch, shot a 78.

After today’s round, a cut to the low 70 and ties will be made to see who stays for the Sunday and Monday’s round. Eighty-five players were even par or better Friday.

Hickson will probably need to be a couple under par today to make the cut.

“I’ll just have to see if I can hit (the ball) a little bit better and read putts a little bit better,” said Hickson.

When his caddie told him how many putts he actually struck Friday, Hickson was surprised.

“Thirty-four putts? That many?” he asked.

Onen reason for so many putts was the fact he hit so many greens in regulation, 14 by his reckoning.

“Considering since I missed a few fairways, that sounds about right,” he said.

Hickson hit his first green (No. 10) in regulation but three-putted it for bogey.

“It’s easy to say it was nerves,” said Hickson, “but I think it was more adrenaline.”

Hickson also bogeyed No. 12 when he tried to hit a running hook on the 461-yard par-4 to make for an easier approach to the which has a lateral water hazard covering the approach.

Hickson hit his tee shot onto the left hillside, though, and was forced to lay up short and hit his third shot on to the green. He two-putted for 5.

He then ran off a string of 11 straight pars, which included a near birdie on 15 as his 20-foot birdie attempt just brushed the right edge of the cup.

Hickson had to make a spectacular save for par on 18 after hitting his tee shot in a bunker on the corner of the 543-yard par 5.

He knocked an 8-iron to 115 yards then saw his approach shot run off the back left side of the green. It was headed for a bunker but appeared to his something and bounce back.

His chip shot ran long, but he nailed the comeback putt, a 15-footer with a tough right-to-left break.

“It was nasty, but I read it, so that helps,” said Hickson.

Hickson knows his putting will have to be sharper because his birdies will have to come from one-putts.

“I don’t hit it long enough to two-putt for birdies (on the par 5s),” said Hickson with a chuckle.

“I didn’t drive it quite as good as I wanted,” he added. “I’m not long, but I’m solid and fairly straight.”

Hickson was encouraged by his finish, which included his only birdie – on the seventh hole, a 600-yard par 5.

His 7-foot slightly downhill putt just trickled up to the hole and fell in the right edge.

“I hit a few shots better late in the round,” said Hickson.

Today, he tees off at 8:30 a.m., which may prove beneficial.

“The wind came up in the afternoon,” he said.

Eleven of the top 14 scores Friday came in the morning.

He would like to stay on a roll today.

“I have not played all that consistent this year,” he said. “I have some good holes or a good round.”

But he’s having fun and maybe that will count for something.