Sports

Garcia still looking sharp at Barclays

Look who’s in contention again.

Just three days removed from winning his first PGA Tour event since 2008, Sergio Garcia retained his form yesterday, shooting a 5-under 66 in the opening round of The Barclays Championship at Bethpage Black.

Garcia, who won the weather-delayed Wyndham Championship on Monday in North Carolina, made six birdies and stands two shots back.

He called it “easy’’ to keep his momentum from the victory, adding, “you’re feeling good about your game.”

The Spaniard was sharp, hitting 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation and taking just 28 putts.

“It’s just the beginning,’’ said Garcia, who finished fourth in the 2002 U.S. Open. “Hopefully we’ll keep it going throughout the week.’’

* The forgotten man in the Tiger Woods-Rory McIlroy super-group hardly withered in the glare of the spotlight. Zach Johnson matched Woods’ 3-under 68 and bettered McIlroy’s 69.

“Zach’s game was good,’’ McIlroy said. “Sometimes you think this course might be a little long for Zach, but he manages his game so well and he hits a lot of solid shots. He’s a really solid player, a major winner, and he showed how to get it done.’’

Woods called Johnson “probably one of the best putters out here.’’

“He drives it usually on a string and is probably one of the best wedge players out here,’’ Woods said. “I’ve seen him win the Masters [in 2007] never going for a par‑ 5 [in two shots]. You’ve got to be good with your wedge game. That’s hallmark of his game.’’

Johnson joked on Tuesday that he hoped his “boring’’ game would represent amidst the Woods-McIlroy circus. So far, so good.

* Brian Harman, tied with Nick Watney for second place after a 65, might be the least-recognized player in the field, but he had some large galleries because he was playing behind the Woods-McIlroy group.

Harman said he found himself as a spectator to the Woods and McIlroy group, saying, “I got to watch them hit a bunch of shots, and I’ve gotten to talk to Tiger a couple times. He’s an awesome dude. That’s cool to watch those guys in their element and learn something.”

* It’s safe to say that Gary Christian did not see his 5-under 66 coming.

“I played the practice round and my hopes weren’t that high,’’ he said. “It’s so long, and I was hitting hybrids into every hole, and I was tired and sick. I woke up [yesterday] and was rushed from the moment I got out there. I was too long in the fitness trailer and kind of rushed my warm-up.’’

Christian said he “barely missed a shot all day, adding, “From the first hole I hit it straight down the middle, knocked it to eight feet and made the putt and then just kept hitting good shots.’’

* Justin Rose , at 4-under, praised the atmosphere at Bethpage, saying, “New York is just an incredible place to play golf. You have to sometimes just smile at it. There are some great comments out there. Good energy, and I think it’s only going to get more intense as the weekend goes on.’’

Watney entered the Fed-Ex Cup playoffs in a much different place than he was a year ago when he was the leader in points. This year, he entered 49th in points, lacking the security he had last year.

“I haven’t had the season I would like, but if I can play well here in these next couple weeks, then I can make it to Atlanta [to the Tour Championship],” Watney said. “That’s always a goal at the beginning of the season.’’