Players Going Low at Frys.com Open

I've played both courses at the wonderful Greyhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., sitting in the shadows of Pinnacle Peak, a few miles north of the more well known TPC Scottsdale and it's raucous FBR Open. I'll tell you this -- that course isn't as easy as the PGA Tour players are making it look after the first round of the Frys.com Open.

Nick O'Hern is leading the par slaughterfest after his 7-under 63 skipped past Bob Heintz and Heath Slocum's 64s, four others at 65 and 15 players at 66. The problem is, after the Presidents Cup, is anyone besides us golf enthusiasts (Read: driver nerds) paying a lot of attention?

See, after the FedEx Cup, the PGA Tour kicks off what is called the Fall Series, that includes the last two weeks, the Frys.com, and two more tournaments that end in mid-November. Basically, the Fall Series is a fancy name for the more definitive name, "Race to Gain More Money and Earn your 2010 PGA Tour Card." Okay, lengthier, but more truthful. Players that struggled all season have a chance to go out in these tournaments and earn more money, hoping to find themselves in that coveted top-125 which keeps them with a good paying job for another season.

The one bonus with this end-of-season run is there is always a young face hoping to get lucky and win an event, hoping to avoid PGA Tour Qualifying School or the sponsor's exemption grind of next season. The face of 2009? Rickie Fowler (pictured), the 20-year-old stud that joined the professional ranks in September and played in his first PGA Tour tournament as a pro last week, finishing seventh, and with a birdie on his 18th hole on Thursday, is t-4, two shots back of O'Hern.

Along with Fowler is a few names you've heard of enjoying the beautiful Scottsdale weather. Mike Weir, who won the inaugural Frys.com Open in 2007, shot a 66 to tie notables Ryan Moore, Ricky Barnes and Stephen Ames.

Fred Couples, coming off captaining a winning Presidents Cup team, shot a 3-under 67, his best round in two months.

If the weather stays like it was on Thursday, the winning score could be well north of 20-under.