Projo Sports Blog

Nick Faldo feels right at home today in Barrington. And Justin Rose, too. Most others, though, are a bit uncomfortable as the 10th annual CVS Charity Classic gets started.

The good news is that the tournament is on schedule. While the skies at Rhode Island Country Club are overcast and threatening, play is underway. Perhaps because of the weather, the crowd appears smaller than usual.

The clinic that usually begins the event was altered a bit. It turned more into a talk show, with Peter Jacobsen as the prime host. He and Billy Andrade welcomed everyone, most notably the two British players who are first-time participants, Faldo and Rose.

``It feels like England, doens't it?'' Jacobsen asked Faldo and Justin Rose.

Rocco Mediate, the late replacement who was such a big star in the U.S. Open, was a major part of the banter. Johnny Miller, the NBC commentator, has drawn criticism for saying Mediate looks like a guy who should be cleaning Tiger Woods' pool.

``I understand the state legislature in Rhode Island passed a law that's going to ban Johnny Miller from the state,'' Andrade said. ``I think there are 17 Roccos in the crowd right here.''

``Johnny's fine. I don't care,'' Mediate responded.

``They care in Rhode Island,'' Andrade shot back.

Dana and Brett Quigley, in the first group, just birdied the first hole for the first bird of the tournament.

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