U.s. Idle

? Verplank, Johnson's partner, responded, "Nobody cares what [Miller] says."

? Miller, again off the air, after Cink and Henry missed consecutive birdie putts on the final hole of their four-ball match: "Should have let J.J. putt first, I swear it. Too much pressure for him."

ROOKIE WATCH

LET'S PUT to rest the notion that first-timers are a weak link. Johnson's six-birdie performance in the four-balls was impressive, and Henry carried Cink down the stretch. Then Taylor, who rode the bench for three sessions, helped Campbell wheedle a halve against Montgomerie and Westwood. "I don't know that I've ever been more proud of a person in my whole life than I was of Vaughn Taylor," said Lehman. "He was simply remarkable."

"OVERHEARD"

"All of a sudden things got quiet."

--COMMENTATOR DAN HICKS, ON LEARNING THAT HIS NBC CREW'S

OFF-THE-AIR SNIPING WAS BEING FED TO THE U.S. LOCKER ROOM

"I don't know how you can ever sit

down the best player in the world."