Mediate may not clear cutoff for Buick Open

The U.S. Open runner-up will have to improve on his opening-round score of 71.

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) — Rocco Mediate was simply exhausted.

Physically and mentally.

After pushing Tiger Woods for five-plus rounds at the U.S. Open and doing countless interviews, Mediate didn’t have much left Thursday in the first round of the Buick Open.

“I’m about to faint,” Mediate said after signing for a 1-under 71 in the scoring trailer.

Mediate got a boost of energy moments later when he walked into the locker room.

Tom Lehman was the first of a few players to greet him with a hug or handshake and kind words about his showing in U.S. Open. Then, Mediate opened his locker and read the latest batch of handwritten notes from PGA Tour peers.

“This whole experience has been unbelievable,” he said.

Mediate’s first tournament since falling just short of winning his first major might not last long.

He likely will have to improve upon his opening round today just to make the cut at Warwick Hills, where players who don’t reach about 3 under after two days usually go home.

Corey Pavin, Bo Van Pelt and Dudley Hart shared the opening-round lead at 8-under 64, a shot ahead of Briny Baird and Daniel Chopra.

Woody Austin was in a group at 66. Bubba Watson was in a pack another stroke back with Charles Warren, whose had six straight birdies to tie the longest birdie-eagle streak this year on the PGA Tour.

Jim Furyk was among a big group four shots behind the leaders.

Pavin, who closed strong to tie for 10th last week at the Travelers Championship, shot 64s in consecutive rounds for the first time in his 25-year career. He credited his Bulls Eye putter, a rare piece of equipment today on the PGA Tour.

“It’s a putter I got in 1984 — brand new,” Pavin said. “I used it for quite a while, probably up until about the middle of ’95.

“Then, it took a break until last year. It was on the bench for over a decade.”

Pavin’s 15th and last victory on the PGA Tour was in 2006 in Milwaukee.

The Buick Open took a hit at the gate and with buzz when Woods had season-ending knee surgery earlier this week, leaving the tournament with a lackluster field that includes just nine of the top 50 players in the world ranking.