Phil's New Toy, Fowler's Start and More

   Observations from the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship:

   -- The most surprising thing about the first day was Rory McIlroy's 75, which was as sloppy as the score suggested. McIlroy said he fought his timing throughout the round, never getting comfortable with his swing and he paid the price for it.

    He'll need a very good round Friday afternoon -- at least 68 I'm guessing -- to make the cut. Losing him after two days would be both a surprise and a disappointment.

  -- Phil Mickelson has a new 2-iron in his bag this week. It has a thick, blocky sole but  he can scald his new toy from Callaway.

     Mickelson shook off a sluggish start and played his way into good position as the first round unfolded. With an early tee time in the second round, Mickelson has a chance to jump up the board in a hurry.

  -- Rickie Fowler likes Quail Hollow. He finished sixth last year in his first trip here and he opened with a 68 Thursday. If you believe in trends, Fowler would follow in the pattern of dynamic young champions that started with Anthony Kim and included Sean O'Hair and McIlroy.

   -- No surprise that the par-3 17th hole played as the most difficult on Thursday. It averaged 3.417, barely edging the par-4 12th as the toughest hole. One of the next three days, look for the tees to be moved forward on the 17th hole, letting players hit 6 and 7-irons into the green, softening some of its potential bite.

  -- Lucas Glover is looking for a good week. He doesn't have a top-10 finish this year but the 67 he shot Thursday -- despite a sick stomach -- was an encouraging sign. He's been working through a swing adjustment and personal issues for a few months and is due to have a breakout performance.

  --