d 300 total yards. Tajh Boyd of Clemson and Jameis Winston of F

TROON, Scotland -- Ten years ago this week, Patrick Reed fell in love with links golf.He won the 2006 Junior Open Championship in this corner of the world at Heswall Golf Club, quickly figuring out how to hit various shots in different conditions than hed been accustomed to back home in the United States.The ball never seemed to stop, he said with a laugh Thursday after posting an opening-round 5-under 66 to put himself in contention for the lead at The Open.But if that love for links golf was stoked while he played, it was set ablaze just days later.Before he returned home, Reed attended a practice round and the first round of The Open, held that week at Royal Liverpool. An unabashed Tiger Woods fan, Reed followed the eventual champion around the course, marveling at his ability to hit shots the 15-year-old had never before witnessed in person.I was in awe of how he was hitting golf shots, seeing this 2-iron somehow staying that low for 240 yards in the air, recalled Reed, who turns 26 next month. Im thinking, How is that ball going that far? And the kind of control he had, Im just like, Man, this guy is really good.Some players, especially some American players, have to learn to love this type of golf. First they endure it, then they embrace it. Thats when success usually happens.For Reed, there was no transition period. It was love at first sight.I always thought it would be fun because I love to create shots and hit the funny things, he said. At home, we cant do that. Its too soft. So you cant hit the stinger 2-iron and let it run, or the low hook chip shot and watch it bounce up a hill and kind of trickle over. Those arent things we can do at home. Its more thick rough, take the ball in the air and try to stop it. So I feel like my creative side has been able to come out.Reeds opening round consisted of an eagle hole-out on the third hole and five birdies against just two bogeys. It tied the lowest first-round score in Royal Troons tournament history (although that mark was bested later Thursday by?Phil Mickelsons 63).That wasnt the only thing that should have Reed confident about the next three days, though.He played the Scottish Open last week; five of the past six Open champions played that event the week before. Hes American; each of the previous six champions at Troon has been American. He posted a sub-70 score; 10 of the past 11 Open winners opened with rounds in the 60s.Reed doesnt just like playing golf here, though. He likes everything here.The simplicity, he said. Last week when I was over, when we were driving from the golf course to the hotel, theres just a lot of farmland, a lot of scenery. You see the water to the left, the farms to the right. Its just a two-lane road going in and out. So you literally just have that kind of relaxed feeling that you have golf and then relaxing time. At home, its golf, sit in traffic, traffic lights, a thousand cars, people honking at you, and then you get home and youre trying to go through a busy hotel, so its still stressful off the golf course. Here it seems like its just golf and then just kind of relax, have some fun.Its definitely a way different pace than back home. Its nice. Its a great change of pace.Perhaps this gives new meaning to the actions of a guy who two years ago playfully shushed the home crowd at the European-based Ryder Cup.Hed love to stay quiet this week, flying under the radar of the bigger names on the leaderboard. That might not be possible, but his attitude -- an attitude born a decade ago -- should serve him well.I think the key is just to have fun with it, he explained. You know youre going to get some bad breaks here and there, but at the same time youre going to get some good breaks, and you just have to know how to handle it mentally. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Retro All Red . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Retro Jordan 11s For Sale . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. http://www.cheapjordans11online.com/cheap-air-jordan-11-retro-red/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Cheap Air Jordans From China . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Retro Black . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Here are some things to watch in the Atlantic Coast Conference for Week 7:GAME OF THE WEEK: North Carolina State at No. 3 Clemson. First place in the Atlantic Division is on the line in this matchup of the only two teams in the division without a conference loss. N.C. State (4-1, 1-0) has won three straight and -- unlike last weeks waterlogged 10-3 win over Notre Dame -- wont have to deal with a muddy track. But the Wolfpack will have to contend with Death Valley -- where they havent won since 2002. Deshaun Watson and the Tigers (6-0, 3-0) have won 12 straight ACC games. Somebody is going to leave Saturday afternoon with control of their destiny, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said, and somebody is not.BEST MATCHUP: Florida State rushing offense vs. Wake Forest run defense. The Demon Deacons run D has been rather stout, allowing only 118 yards per game and holding five of six opponents to fewer than 160 yards rushing. Theyll get a test from Dalvin Cook and a Seminoles team that has averaged 289 yards on the ground in the last three weeks. Cook checked out of last years meeting early with a hamstring injury but Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson says you can make an argument that they might have the best tailback in the entire country.INSIDE THE NUMBERS: Four ACC players are averaging at least 300 yards of total offense, with Heisman Trophy contender Lamar Jaackson of Louisville leading the way with 462.dddddddddddd6 total yards per game. Since 2008, only once -- in 2013 -- has more than one ACC player averaged 300 total yards. Tajh Boyd of Clemson and Jameis Winston of Florida State did it that year.LONG SHOT: Syracuse might have a shot to beat the 19+-point spread against No. 17 Virginia Tech. The Orange struggled in miserable conditions at Wake Forest -- but that wont be an issue inside the Carrier Dome. Coach Dino Babers fast-paced offense has put up at least 400 total yards in every game but the Wake Forest loss and could put some pressure on a tough Virginia Tech defense that, after knocking North Carolina out of the rankings with a 34-3 loss , might be due for some regression.IMPACT PLAYER: Keep an eye on Virginia QB Kurt Benkert. The East Carolina transfer in his first year as a starter is throwing for 291 yards per game, has thrown eight touchdown passes in his last two games and is coming off an idle week. Now he faces a Pittsburgh pass defense that ranks 13th in the ACC and has given up 10 touchdown passes in its last four games.---Compiled by AP Sports Writer Joedy McCreary in Raleigh, North Carolina.---OnlineAP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '