Mahan's 62 gives him Barclays lead

Golf Betting Lines

08/21/2008 - Paramus, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hunter Mahan fired a nine-under 62 on Thursday to take the opening-round lead of The Barclays, the first FedEx Cup Playoff event of the year.

Paul Casey shot a five-under 66 on Thursday for second place at Ridgewood Country Club.

Bo Van Pelt, Kevin Streelman, Mathew Goggin, Charley Hoffman and Dudley Hart are tied for third place at four-under 67.

This is the first FedEx Cup Playoff event. The year-long points race comes down to this and with reigning Playoff champion and the man who topped the list again this year, Tiger Woods, out of action, the title, and $10 million is up for grabs.

Since the points system was tweaked for this year to put more emphasis on success in the playoffs, it won't just come down to Nos. 2 and 3 on the points table.

"These days, the points standings, there's going to be so much moving around with the points," said No. 2 Kenny Perry, who shot a two-under 69 and is tied for 14th. "I'm just going to play it one hole, one shot at a time."

Phil Mickelson is third on the FedEx Cup Playoff list and posted a one-under 70 on Thursday. He is part of a large group tied for 25th.

"I played well today. I thought the scores weren't going to be as low as they were," said Mickelson. "So my one-under par round is not as good as I thought it would be, but I thought I played well and I'll take it. I obviously need to make up some ground tomorrow and have a good day."

Mickelson will need more than a good day to catch Mahan.

Mahan got off to a near perfect start. At the first, he hit a sand-wedge from 98 yards out that ran into the hole for an eagle two.

"You're just trying to get into the round and kind of build some momentum on your side," said Mahan. "I hit two really good shots. I hit it, and I hit it exactly the way I wanted to, and it went in; that rarely happens. I was surprised, and excited."

Mahan parred his next two holes, then rattled off back-to-back birdies at four and five. He birdied the par-four seventh, but dropped a shot at the par-three eighth hole.

Mahan birdied the par-three 10th and collected three birdies in a row from the 12th to reach eight-under par for the championship.

At the 18th, Mahan hit a seven-iron from 179 yards out to three feet. He tapped in the birdie to match the tournament record, which he also posted in the third round last year at Westchester.

"I was surprised to shoot so low. I didn't have any idea what was going to be a good score out here," said Mahan. "It's definitely not that easy. It's perfect conditions. You've got great weather. The course is in perfect shape right now."

Like several American players here, Mahan is trying to make a good impression on Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger. The captain has his four picks to make a week from Tuesday and a good week from Mahan could go along way to making his first Ryder Cup team.

"Captain Azinger, I don't know exactly what he's thinking with the picks, but I think he's going to pick the best players he can," said Mahan, who represented the United States in last year's Presidents Cup. "I would love to be a pick, but got to earn it, too. Looking forward to that challenge and the opportunity the next couple of weeks."

Defending champion Steve Stricker, George McNeill, Adam Scott, Rich Beem, Jesper Parnevik and Bubba Watson are knotted in eighth place at three-under 68.

Padraig Harrington, the winner of the last two major championships, only managed a one-over 72 on Thursday and is tied for 65th place.

"I thought I played nicely, but middle of the round, I missed a number of really good birdie chances and then took four twice and two sixes," said Harrington. "Looking back at it, you have to say, I didn't feel like I did much wrong, but some of that's that mental tiredness."