a great player emerged from the Northwest

"Is it a disadvantage? Maybe the opposite," said rising PGA Tour star Kyle Stanley. "It teaches you to battle the elements a little bit, and it prepares you for all types of golfing conditions."

"Having someone on the Tour like Fred Couples, who was a glamorous player, being from Seattle, helped inspire Ryan to think that maybe he could do it too," said Mike Moore, Ryan's father, who owned The Classic in Spanaway, the course Ryan grew up playing.

"Having someone on the Tour like Fred Couples, who was a glamorous player, being from Seattle, helped inspire Ryan to  Mizuno JPX-800 Irons think that maybe he could do it too," said Mike Moore, Ryan's father, who owned The Classic in Spanaway, the course Ryan grew up playing.

"Being from the Northwest, you have to learn how to practice more efficiently," said Moore, who won the 2004 U.S. Amateur. "There aren't 14-day forecasts of nothing but sun, so you have to do more in short periods of time, and I still had that in my system when I went to Las Vegas."

"On a nice day, I could hit drives 300 or 350 yards, then certain days I would have a hard time driving it 250," he said. "It could be a totally different course. And the small green sizes made me a good iron player. I learned how to hit a 7-iron onto the small greens."

"Being from the Northwest, you have to learn how to practice more efficiently," said Moore, who won the 2004 U.S. Amateur. "There aren't 14-day forecasts of nothing but sun, so you have to Mizuno MX-1000 irons do more in short periods of time, and I still had that in my system when I went to Las Vegas."

For years, Couples carried the Northwest mantle nearly by himself. Now he has plenty of help.

The University of Washington was not a power when Couples left O'Dea High School in Seattle to play at Houston.

More and more, they are performing well — just like the local players at the highest level.

"It reminds me of (Seattle's) Broadmoor Country Club," he said.

"I am sure if I had gone to discount golf clubs Washington, I would have become the same player," he said.

More and more, they are performing well — just like the local players at the highest level.

Couples said the conditions he faced at Jefferson Park Golf Course in Seattle served him well.

"You can still live here and play on the Tour," Bies said. "I don't think it's a disadvantage at all. I don't believe you need to play every day, especially after you develop your game. It's good to get away. Look at Steve Stricker, who lives in Wisconsin. Living in a place where you can't play every day — it gives you a break."

Saguaro is no exception to golf rules

The sixth is a great risk-reward par-four. Doglegging to the right, the player has the option of biting off as much as possible in efforts to leave a shorter approach shot. To cut the corner, the drive must clear the desert and a series of bunkers guarding the fairway. Gambling in the resort's casino has more appeal than that shot. Play it safe and 200-plus awaits. Hitting the green will be difficult at just 29 yards in depth, the smallest on the course. If you miss the surface, getting up and down should not be a problem as only long and left will produce a big number.

The inward nine begins with another split fairway. This time around, however, it's a par-five of 566 yards with a desert garden of saguaro (cactus) and sand 220 yards out. There's no chance at getting home in two, so lay up short of the fairway bunkers, right and left of Ping G20 irons the fairway and you'll have a simple sand wedge of 100 yards. The putting surface is very undulating and 42 paces in length, so an easy par ... won't be.

No. 17 is another long par-five that plays downhill all the way from tee to green. Bending slightly to the left, your tee shot must avoid sand left and a long bunker right, some 250 yards from the tips. Laying up is not so easy, as the fairway narrows in the landing area. A successful second will leave a wedge to a long (43 paces in length), but narrow green that slopes from back to front. Four is a definite possibility, but so is seven.

A bit of reprieve on the second, as this slight, dogleg right is just 336 yards in length. The difference here is that the fairway is tighter, slopes from left to right and has several bunkers strategically placed in the landing zone. Although you'll have a short iron in, the green is one of the longest on the course at 39 paces in length, with a ridge running from top to bottom. Avoid the right side, as sand will dictate your score.

The seventh can best be described as fun and games. At just 331 yards, it can be driveable for the big boys, although it's uphill, while the not-so stout, can get home if they play the correct tees. If you decide not to "Mess with the Zohan" - yes, a little Adam Sandler reference - you can make birdie the old fashioned way. Just a long iron off the tee will leave Ping G20 driver less than a hundred yards in. So if you're accurate with the wedge, not a bad play. If you decide to go for it, you'll have to contend with a quartet of pot bunkers dotted near and in front of the green. At 38 paces, the putting surface is the longest on the front nine, but this is birdie time.

From one of the longest par-threes to the second-longest par-four on the Saguaro course, the 12th is a wonderful 476-yarder that requires two stellar shots for success. The tee shot is one of the toughest, as the fairway is quite narrow in spots and pinched within sand on either side. A fairly long iron or hybrid will be needed to reach the second-longest green on the course. The lone bonus on the 47-yard long putting surface is that it's devoid of sand.

From top to bottom, from tee to green, We-Ko-Pa's layouts are a must to play over and over and over again. The conditioning of the courses are second to none. Fairways are as green as emeralds, desert scrub as difficult as the Sahara and greens as smooth as glass. And beauty? Well, it's not Shadow Creek but it is one of the most scenic courses in the "Grand Canyon" state. At any time during your round, glance around and take notice of "Four Peaks Mountain" to the east or Red Mountain south and the McDowell Mountains to the west.

Quite a sight. The outward nine closes with a long par-four and a split fairway divided by a series of three bunkers discount golf clubs 260 yards out. Ample room right and left but missing off to the right could cause headaches due to one of only two water hazards on the course. The putting surface is slightly elevated and protected nicely by three sand traps. If you're not ready to sell your clubs, read on.

The shortest hole on the course, the 14th is a downhill par-three with one of the bigger greens, at 44 yards in length. The surface is two- tiered, running back to front, and is guarded by two-deep and large bunkers left and back. Choosing the right club is of utmost importance, so if the wind is up, this could plays as one of the hardest holes instead of the easiest on the card.

The first round of this tournament is dullness

McIlroy lurks at 1-under. Tiger is a even-par (though he drove the ball like he was 7-over). Mickelson is at 2-over. Them can continue to end the weekend smooching a trophy.

But when's the very last time Woods, who said he struggled in his pre-round warm-up, had to take two unplayable lies in a round? It happened Thursday.

"Today I squeezed a great deal out of TaylorMade R11S Driver that round," said Woods. "Didn't hit it good at all."

When's the very last time up to a 100 people couldn't discover a Phil tee shot? It happened Thursday, as patrons scoured the pine needles and bushes like prison hound dogs looking for Mickelson's drive on No. 10. They never think it is.

Didn't matter. Lefty place on the happy face for Day Two.

"And with a hot round [Friday], I'll get back inside for your weekend," said Mickelson. "I realize that heading in I have been previously playing well."

And while we're talking about No. 10, McIlroy's first drive there competing since last year's meltdown would have been a directional breakthrough. This year: wayyyy left to Peek Cabin. In 2012: kind of right and in the first cut possibly even.

"I was definitely erring on the right-hand side," said McIlroy, who parred the hole as an alternative to tripling it like he did a year ago.

There is more enjoyable. Patrick Cantlay, a UCLA sophomore as well as the No. 1-ranked amateur on the globe, is tied for 14th at 1-under. Randy Lewis, a 54-year-old amateur, shot 9-over-par and Mizuno MP 53 Irons said, "That's my all-time favorite 81."

Like it.

And i really like that for two hours approximately, that Luke Donald's scorecard was under review by committee officials? In the long run, the controversy appeared as the result of "administrative error." Or that Henrik Stenson led the tournament until he left the 18th hole which has a discount golf clubs quad-8 -- with no penalty stroke or lost ball?

"You create a little mistake and then you compound it with another, also it just keeps on snowballing," said Stenson. "And I acquired a snowman in the end. You realize, what to do."