Bruckner’s Fast Start Has Media Scrambling

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England — Just after Greg Bruckner followed consecutive eagles with a birdie to go 4 under par early in the first round of the British Open, the 1,000-member press corps scrambled to find out who he is.

A bulletin was quickly issued in the media center, listing his Sixth Street address in Manhattan Beach. ALL KNOWN SO FAR, the bulletin read.

Bruckner’s caddy was one of the few at Royal Lytham & St. Annes who knew anything more. He told Bruckner to look at the leader board.

“He said, ‘Check it out. You’re leading Seve Ballesteros.’ ”

Bruckner slipped on the back nine to finish with a one-over-par 72, but the 28-year-old former El Camino College and Arizona State golfer wasn’t at all displeased.

“Considering everything, I’m ecstatic,” he said.

Bruckner, who has failed three times in attempts to get his PGA Tour card, is fourth on the Asian tour with $68,000. He qualified for the British Open at Fairhaven and is staying at a nearby hotel in a room he shares with two others.

To save money, they have been pooling their pounds and sharing plates of Italian food the last five nights.

Bruckner, who had never been in England before, is a two-time winner on the Asian tour. He won the Rolex Masters and in March took the Singapore Open, which was worth $33,000.

Bruckner was paid on the spot in 330 $100 bills, which he put in a brown paper bag. “I didn’t know what else to do with it,” Bruckner said. “They didn’t give me anything to carry it in.”

He took the money back to his hotel room and slept with his head on the sack of money, then went to the bank the next morning to get a check to send home.

Bruckner said he slept very well that night, which he also expected to do Thursday night.

“Why not?” he said. “All I want to do is make the cut.”