FIVE TOPS
STUART APPLEBY (66) — The 1998 Kemper Open champion finished with three consecutive birdies to join the logjam at the top of the leader board. There’s something about the Aussie and the District. In 10 previous starts at Congressional and TPC at Avenel, Appleby has never missed a cut, racking up seven top-20 finishes, including a tie for seventh in his last visit to Congressional (2005 Booz Allen).
K.J. CHOI (66) — The Memorial champion hit 15 greens during his stroll around Congressional, an outstanding performance for his first competitive round on Old Blue.
JIM FURYK (66) — The world’s third-ranked player hit 12 of 14 fairways and made just one bogey (No. 10) during his opening loop around the layout. Furyk, who boasts three top fives in his last four starts, undoubtedly received some quality assistance from caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan, a Congressional member.
JOE OGILVIE (66) — The personification of a PGA Tour rank-and-filer, the Texan without a single top-10 finish this season carded a field-high eight birdies at Congressional yesterday, earning him a rare leader board appearance.
VIJAY SINGH (66) — The three-time major champion played the best tee-to-green golf of any player in the field yesterday, averaging 302.4 yards off the tee and hitting 17 greens on his way to the most stress-free 66 possible at a course as demanding as Congressional. In vintage Vijay style, the taciturn Fijian then declined an invitation to address the media.
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