The real Wachovia master

If you want to watch a pro, stand near the putting green and watch David Parker snag autographs.
The 12-year-old stood near the gate where the players walk to the putting green. Holding a Wachovia Championship flag, he yelled "Hey Mister, can I have your autograph?"

Some golfers stopped, others didn't. The ones who did had to find a place to sign because Parker's flag, and his sun visor, were already covered with the signatures of Vijay Singh, John Daly, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and others. He also got Peyton Manning. And he got all of those signatures this week.

“You’ve got John Daly?” said a woman excitedly.
He proudly pointed to the signature.
Parker, 12, said the secret is that he calls them mister, and sometimes uses their last name. He also says "please" and "thank you." The best place to get signatures, he said, is at the 18th hole.

The one signature he wants most?
“I want to get Tiger. He wouldn’t sign it for me.”

The Wachovia hat trick

If you're going to the tourney. Rocking a fly hat is essential.

The golfers and their caddie's sported the best gear.

I'm loving the black lid that Jesper Parnevik is rocking as well as the railroad conductor cap worn by Robert Garrigus' caddie.

The dream Wachovia gig

Travis Pearsall has the dream volunteer gig.
For at least four hours, he gets to walk the greens at Quail Hollow carrying a five-pound sign with the last names of the three golfers that he’s following. He’s called the standard bearer.

This is Pearsall’s fifth year volunteering. He’s been a marshal and a scorer, but he likes carrying the sign the best - unless it’s windy.

“It blows you around like a sail,” he said.

Oh no, they're trapped

The ropes between the third and fourth green went up suddenly. An older lady was trapped in the middle. A little boy was separated from his father. The bewildered woman looked around, and the field marshal was bearing down on her. Quickly, she lifted a rope and passed underneath it. Safe.

The boy looked at his father. "Come on," the father said, urgently. "I can't," the boy replied. A river of green separated them. The boy looked to his left. The final rope hadn't gone up yet. He sprinted down the ropes to the opening, cut across the green and joined his father. Safe.

If you're going to the Wachovia, you do not want to get caught in the crosswalk when golfers are coming. Big no-no.

We want Jordan, we want Jordan

Bring back Tiger and Jordan. Bring back Peyton Manning. Quail Hollow Club was way too sedate as the Wachovia Championship tournament started on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, Jordan joked with fans. Tiger tossed balls around on the green and Peyton was chilling, too. Today, the golfers were all about the game. Understandably, there was no banter with fans. The field marshals were real serious about that "Quiet Please" stuff, and fans doled out polite applause and obeyed the rules.

It's tourney time, and big money is on the line.