[July 04, 2008]

Marino creates a buzz at AT&T: AT&T National

(Free Lance-Star, The (Fredericksburg, VA) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 4--BETHESDA, Md. -- Steve Marino wasn't bothered one bit by the raucous posse that trailed him around Congressional Country Club yesterday. When his high school and college buddies are that boisterous and vociferous with their support, it usually means one of two things: they have frequented a nearby, um, beverage vendor, or Marino is playing well.

Both were the case yesterday.

Marino delighted some of his friends from nearby Fairfax with an early-morning 5-under-par 65 and finished the first round of the AT&T National with a one-stroke lead.

"They are rowdy, but it definitely feels good to have them out there supporting me, and it's fun," Marino said. "I mean, when you have got people out there yelling and screaming, it kind of takes your mind off things and makes you laugh a little bit."

His 65 withstood an afternoon charge by four players-Jeff Overton, Frank Lickliter, Rod Pampling and Bob Estes-who finished the round at 4-under.

Seven others are two strokes off the lead.

A crowd of 16,916 turned out for the start of the tournament, 1,345 fewer than the first day at last year's inaugural event. With host Tiger Woods absent because of recent left knee surgery and a field that lacks some of the top-profile players from last year's tournament, the galleries seemed thinner and more subdued than those of a year ago.

However, that wasn't exactly clear from following Marino.

The 28-year-old graduate of W.T. Woodson High-located in Fairfax, about 17 miles from Congressional -and the University of Virginia birdied three of his first four holes en route to a bogey-free round.

Marino, the 1997 Virginia Group AAA state high school golf champion, played Congressional only a handful of times as a kid, but he made himself at home yesterday while debuting a new set of irons.

"I think they are going to stay," he said of the clubs.

In all, 34 players finished the first round below par, compared to 28 a year ago. Marino believes the rough is about half as long this year as it was in 2007, and other players with morning tee times praised smooth greens.

"These greens are so much better than last year," said Anthony Kim, who shot a 3-under 67. "At least this morning, they rolled so pure that if you hit it on line, it was going to go. If the greens stay this smooth, I think everyone is going to enjoy this course."

Four-time PGA Tour winner Notah Begay also shot 67.

As the golf world awaits the players that will fill the vacuum left at the top of the sport by Woods' absence, Begay is simply trying to re-establish himself on tour following a severely herniated disc in his lower back.

He is playing in his third event of the season, and he's here on a sponsor's exemption-an opportunity that he said isn't linked to the fact he was teammates with Woods at Stanford.

"It was one hell of a surprise for me to be perfectly honest," Begay said of his round. "I had not played a lot of golf this year, and I've been spending a lot of time on mini-tours, and when I ruptured my disk last May, I didn't really think I might be able to play. I seriously thought I wasn't going to be able to play anymore."

The big names that did show up had mixed success on the first day.

Defending champion K.J. Choi is three strokes off the lead at 68. Jim Furyk finished even, and Rocco Mediate, Steve Stricker, Fred Couples and Trevor Immelman played above par.

All are chasing Marino, who had never led after the first round of a PGA tournament before yesterday. He held a 36-hole lead at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in February, but he finished second in that event-his best finish in two years on tour.

With that in mind, he's far from overconfident.

"The tournament really doesn't begin pretty much until the back nine on Sunday if you want to win," he said.

He is sure of one thing, though: With a second-round tee time today at 12:25 p.m., his personal cheering section figures to be in top form.

"I know tomorrow is July 4th," Marino said, "and I'm teeing off in the afternoon, so that gives them plenty of time to get looped up."

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