RENO - It was a case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Duffy Waldorf on Thursday in the first round at the sixth annual Reno-Tahoe Open at Montreux Golf & Country Club.
After tearing up the front side with a 4-under 32, he bogeyed 13, 14 and 16 to finish with a 1-under par 71.
"My play (in my career) has been hot and cold," Waldorf said in an interview with the Golf Channel during the rain delay. "When I'm hot I play really great, and when I'm cold, I'm really out there.
"Overall, my game is pretty solid. I'm in my 18th year, and I'm happy to have been able to last that long. I'm happy where my career is at."
Waldorf started fast, getting a tap-in birdie on No.1. He should have had birdies on the next two holes, but his putt at the par-3 second hole died at the cup. He lipped out a birdie putt at No. 3. He came back with consecutive birdies to move to 3-under after five. He completed the front side with a nice birdie on the 616-yard par-5.
Despite the poor finish, Waldorf enjoys the course and enjoys coming to Reno.
"If you play well, you can get a lot of birdies," he said. "I've always liked Reno. It's a low-key place. You can always have a good meal here. It's convenient. This time of the year the tour is usually in the Midwest or East. Here I'm just an hour away from LA."
THAT'S MY BOY
Ted Purdy, who shot an even-par 72, had few special fans in the gallery on Thursday.
His dad, Jim, a real estate developer in White Fish, Montana, was on hand to watch along with Purdy's mother-in-law and his wife, Arlene. The elder Purdy said their party of 10 crammed into a house at Incline Village.
"Obviously you want him to do good," the elder Purdy said, watching his son hit an approach shot into a green on the front nine. "It's fun to come out and watch, but I try to stay away from him (while he plays).
"I come out six or seven tournaments a year; usually the West Coast swing. We talk on the phone a lot. His wife (Arlene) just had a baby, and he (Sam) is just starting to walk. We went to the tournament in Milwaukee and babysat."
Arlene actually caddied for her husband most of the Nationwide Tour season last year. She stopped when the doctor said she wasn't allowed to do any more lifting.
"I learned a lot about the game," said Arlene. "I didn't know anything about golf and I just started caddying. I got to know all the guys (other pros and caddies). What I liked least was when I had to use the umbrella."
Jim Purdy said Arlene was a calming influence on her husband, who had problems with his temper at times. And Ted Purdy admits that his wife and infant son have been a calming influence.
"You do separate it (being a caddy and then a wife)," she said. "It's not easy. He wasn't the type to carry it on more than 10 or 15 minutes after we got in the car."
POTPOURRI
The 14th hole, a par-4 measuring 491 yards, was the toughest of the day, averaging 4.364... The easiest hole was the par-5 518-yard fourth hole. It averaged 4.745 and only seven players bogeyed the hole. The fourth hole also yielded eagles to Joel Kribel and Jason Bohn.
