Big hitting Bubba Watson stormed to an early lead at the 2010 USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits with a four under par 68 but was soon joined in the clubhouse at the top by Italian, Francesco Molinari. Meanwhile, Nick Watney, Matt Kuchar and Ernie Els are also on -4 but with the three hour fog delay we saw yesterday, that trio will return this morning early to complete their first rounds.

For those who may not have seen Bubba Watson on a course before, I encourage you to tune in because in my opinion, it is one of the most unorthodox swings on tour. There is so much action going on with his feet it seriously looks like he is doing a little dance as he plays. The buttoned up shirt, the enormous length, the extreme shape he hits his shots and his emotional manner all combine to create what is an intriguing golfer. There is something unique about this guy. I would almost go so far as to say he borders on “odd” but that might be an injustice to what seems like a really affable guy off the course. He is not known for his straight hitting so to see him up there leading the way on what is a course which is renowned for its demand to hit fairways, is a surprise to many. It will be fascinating to see if he can maintain his form over the next few days. One thing can be certain though, if the course stays soft, he will make birdies. The big question is whether it will be enough to offset the inevitable bogeys.

Francesco Molinari on the other hand is a model of consistency and we all know at this stage if he putts well, he generally gives himself the opportunity to win. He is a guy you always feel confident can rack up an high number of top 10 finishes but as of yet, he has not been able to finish the job off more often than not. Perhaps that may change this week.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods returned to some sort of form. His putting was much better than it has been and being honest, he was unlucky that a few more did not drop for him. Off the tee, he was better but still missed quite a few, including one horrible hook on the second. For most of the day, he was gripping down the grip slightly on the tee shots and as a result was sacrificing some length for accuracy. If Woods is to maintain a challenge this week, it is imperative he continues with this strategy because when he open the shoulder for a big one, his head drops significantly, everything seems out of sync and invariably he end up with a wild push or vicious hook. Nevertheless, a one under par 71 was just what Woods would have wanted and wouldn’t it be something to see him win it after the trials and tribulations of last week.

Moving on, Sergio Garcia had an incredible outburst during yesterdays round. After getting a poor lie by one of the bunkers, Garcia semi-duffed the chip and all of a sudden, he began swinging the club viciously into the face of the bank. It was as though years of frustration on the golf course were being released by the man once touted as being the great challenger to Tiger Woods. Watching him bashing the club into the bank, losing his balance as he did so and then coming back and doing it all over again was rather pathetic and embarrassing. There is no room in golf for these moronic overreactions and the Tour should for once stand up to it and impose fines on such behavior. For years the PGA Tour has acted liked cowards in the manner they have turned a blind eye to some of the on-course antics of Tiger Woods but perhaps they will make an example of Garcia now. Despite my reservations about Garcia’s behavior, above all else, I found it sad to see such a talent reduced to such a mess on the course. Spaniards are known for their fiery character and Garcia is no exception. For a man with so much talent though, I take no joy in watching him getting beaten up on the course though. The fight, desire, hunger and will to win has been missing for some time now and his love for the game no longer seems apparent. Hopefully Garcia can take a step back now from the game for a few months, evaluate his attitude and love for the game and come back a better player. Unless he does so, I cannot see how a disgruntled Garcia can ever grace the game again with the talents which he so richly has in abundance.

Finally, it was a mixed start for the Irish boys. Padraig Harrington struggled again and slumped to a three over par 75 which means already, he is in desperate trouble to avoid missing the cut in a second successive major. Watching him and those that are in contention with him for the Ryder CUp spots, I now have great fears that unless Harrington qualifies automatically for the team, he may not be selected. When you look at the erratic nature of his game, Monty must immediately come to the conclusion that playing him in the foursomes would be a huge risk. Add to that the fact his record in the past couple of Ryder Cups has been appalling and the worrying signs are there that he may be overlooked.

At the other end of the scale is Darren Clarke though. He is -3 through his first 13 holes and I am now in the camp calling for Clarke to be selected for the Ryder Cup. His form is excellent and provided Lee Westwood is fit, I would have no hesitation in sending the two of those out together to lead the European charge. Clarke is a fine match-player and Monty will some serious consideration ahead of him.

Of the others, Rory McIlroy was +3 after only 5 holes but managed to turn it around and is now -1 in the early stages of his back nine. Shane Lowry deserves great credit as he currently sits on -2 after 9 holes. Hopefully Shane can keep it going and at least make the cut. Playing the weekend at Major tournaments will prove invaluable experience for the young man from Louth. Last but by no means least, it has been a rather subdued start for US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell. No birdies, 2 bogeys and the rest pars sees him at +2 mid-way through his back nine.