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The Loop

Cheat Sheet: What you need to know for Friday in golf

June 27, 2013

Can anyone stop Inbee Park?

The 24-year-old is looking for a third straight LPGA win, but more impressively a third consecutive major championship to start the season. She started Thursday with a tap-in birdie [#image: /photos/55ad7633b01eefe207f6c31a]|||blog-michelle-wie2-0627.jpg|||

on her way to a first-round 67. Should Mike Davis just hand her the trophy now?

What's up with Michelle Wie?

Even with three birdies over her final four holes, Michelle Wie shot a first-round 80 at Sebonack, where she got off to a brutal start with a quadruple-bogey eight on her first hole. Wie is still a big draw, but if you're a fan, it's getting tough to watch. In 2013, she has twice as many (six) missed cuts as she does top-40 finishes. As a 16-year-old, major championships seemed inevitable. Now? She's 23 with zero majors and a world ranking of 82. And oh yeah, she putts like this (left). . .

"These guys are a lot better than you" highlight of the day

Brandt Snedeker drained a 50-plus-foot putt for birdie on No. 9:

But that was the easiest part. Here's how AP golf writer Doug Ferguson described the hole on Twitter: "Sneds with all-world birdie at 9 today: Snap-hook off the tee. Hybrid out of rough to members tee on No. 4. 6-iron thru trees to 50'. 1 putt"

Is Billy Horschel ever not in contention?

It doesn't seem like it. Fresh off his T-4 at the U.S. Open at Merion, the 26-year-old fired a 68 at Congressional on Thursday. Horschel, who earlier this season picked up his first PGA Tour win in New Orleans and who had a streak of 23 consecutive made cuts at one point, seems a safe bet to be in the mix again on Sunday. Whether or not he'll wear those octopus pants again is another question.

Can Roberto Castro keep this up?

A 66 at a tough Congressional gave the 28-year-old the first-round lead, but we've seen this before. Castro shot an opening-round 63 at the Humana Challenge, but finished T-37. Shot an opening-round 63 at the Players, but finished T-19. Well, you know what they say about the third time. . .