Adamonis is persevering

It was someone else's walk around the course, though, that put the Rhode Island native in the right frame of mind as he navigated his first round nearly flawlessly. After what the Adamonis family has been through the past four years, 18 holes of championship golf on a hot, sunny day in northeast Florida is an opportunity and an experience to savor, no matter the final score.

That Adamonis shot a 5-under-par 67 yesterday - leaving him in a tie for fifth, two shots off Ben Crane's lead - was impressive. Doing it with his father watching? That was inspiring.

Dave Adamonis was diagnosed eight days ago with lung cancer, and the doctors treating him at Massachusetts General Hospital told him the usual life expectancy is about 12 months. Could be more, could be less, they said, but the doctors also noted how unusual Adamonis is, given that he's already survived three bouts with cancer and has been given the last rites three times.

Seeing his father walk the first 13 holes, then, before getting in a golf cart and riding the final five, gave Brad Adamonis all the motivation he needed.

"I grew up playing golf with my dad, and I know he likes being out here," Adamonis said. "Here he is, a guy who's had nine lives, really, and he's fighting through his sickness. If he can do that, then I feel like I can give it a little extra when I'm playing golf."

The 67 was a surprise, and came at a great time. Adamonis, 36, is in his second season on the PGA Tour, and only has one decent finish this year, a tie for ninth in his first tournament. He withdrew last week with a wrist injury, and missed the cut in two of three previous tournaments. Easy to see why he was down on his game.

You wouldn't have known it yesterday. Starting his round on the back nine, Adamonis made seven birdies, including a hole-out on No. 15 and a 42-foot putt on the fifth hole, to steadily work his way up the leaderboard. He kept his ball away from trouble - safely finding the green on the island 17th - stayed patient, and capitalized when he had scoring chances. It left his father, now medically gasping for breath, proudly searching for words.

"That was pretty neat, really special," Dave Adamonis said. "I hope he can maintain the pace, keep believing in the things he did. Hopefully those things translate into good things [today]."

Dave Adamonis, 62, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005, and complications from the surgery, while eradicating the cancer, left him near death. Around that time he was also diagnosed with lymphoma; three months later, more cancer, on the back of his tongue and in his throat. Now, lung cancer. He's scheduled for a round of chemotherapy at Mass. General May 26, and expects to make the trip from Miami - he still coaches the men's golf team at Johnson & Wales University - every three weeks, for three months.

"I have a very positive attitude. I don't give up on things, no matter what I do," Dave Adamonis said. "I'm in the best place in the world, great doctors, all kinds of trials and medication, so I'm going to believe in them, take it one day at a time, and see where we go."

Watching his son play well, so soon after receiving such a daunting diagnosis, had Dave Adamonis fighting back tears.

"It didn't make any difference what he shot today," Dave Adamonis said. "To be here, at a championship like this, just seeing my son, who's worked real hard, have the opportunity to play, and then playing well on top of that . . . it puts a big smile on my face. It's very emotional, to be honest with you."

Brad Adamonis is part of a logjam near the top of the leaderboard, with 13 players within two shots of Crane's lead. So far, though, the leaders don't include any big names. John Mallinger, Richard Johnson, and Alex Cejka are a stroke back at 66, with Jonathan Byrd, Ian Poulter, and Jason Dufner among those tied with Adamonis at 5 under. Of the top 13 players, only Retief Goosen and David Toms have won majors.

Crane can credit his 65 to a blistering putter. He needed only 22 strokes on the greens, and the length of his holed putts totaled 171 feet 8 inches. For comparison's sake, Tiger Woods, in an opening 71, needed 31 putts, with the total length of his putts holed less than 36 feet.

"All of a sudden some putts start going in and give you a little confidence," Crane said. "It was one of those special days playing golf."

It was. Brad and Dave Adamonis would certainly agree.