Verplank On The Mark

Scott Verplank took a big step on the long road back from career-threatening surgery with a superb putting exhibition that gave him a share of the first-round lead in the Doral-Ryder Open.

“It’s simple: I made it from everywhere,” Verplank said after using only 22 putts in an eight-birdie round of 65 on Doral’s Blue Monster course.

Verplank, the former NCAA and national amateur golf champ, who missed most of the 1992 season and all of ‘93, was tied at 7-under with Davis Love III and longshot Steve Lowery.