If, after reviewing the U.S. Open first-round scores, you're asking yourself, "Who the heck is Kevin Streelman?" -- you're not the first, and certainly not the last.
In fact, after exhaustive historical research (OK, so I Googled his name), I discovered that the very first person to ask that very question was Nick Canepa, a sports columnist with the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Back in January, Canepa was intrigued by the 29-year-old journeyman who was about to play the third round of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, site of this week's Open, with Tiger and Stewart Cink. How Streelman got there was great column fodder: As the last alternate, he got in with six minutes to go before his tee time and shot 67-69 to earn an introduction Saturday to playing partner Woods, who was a mere 997 spots higher than him in the world rankings.
Similarly, Justin Hicks, the Open co-leader with Streelman, had everyone scratching their heads yesterday. The struggling Nationwide Tourist initially was confused with a teaching pro of the same name who lives and works in San Diego. Both men played in the aforementioned Buick Invitational. To make matters more convoluted, that teaching pro was walking with the wife of the "real" Justin Hicks at Torrey Pines on Thursday.
Not just the media were confused, Hicks said. "The Tour got us mixed up. Companies got us mixed up. Checks were going to my place; checks were going to his place. There was all kinds of fun stuff going on there. They actually withdrew me out of the Nationwide event. I called them up, and they said, you committed to the Buick, and we figured you wouldn't want to go to Panama. No, I'd like to go to Panama because that's not me.
"I told my caddie, actually today, I said, wow, that's kind of weird, the other Justin Hicks is here with my wife, because he was walking around with my wife and my sister-in-law and a good friend of mine."
And just how is that weirder than you leading the U.S. Open?
As at most majors, having a couple of unknowns leading after Day One is entertaining and, not that we wish them any ill luck, but their chances of winning are nil. Sometimes worse things can happen, as evidenced by Rod Pampling at the 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie. After shooting 71 to lead the tournament after the first round, he blew up to 86 on Friday and missed the cut.
Streelman has an inkling of how that feels. On the weekend at the Buick Invitational, he shot 75-77 to finish T29.