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GREENSBORO — Brandt Snedeker wore purple Thursday for the first round of the Wyndham Championship. The 2007 champion and sponsor's darling wowed the crowd with his élan and his guile.

That was one day after telling people here, "Y'all got hosed."

Snedeker shot a 66 on Thursday, then talked of his newfound celebrity status in the one town on earth where he has celebrity status.

"It's been great to have the fans out there kind of recognize you," he said.

In the year since he won the Wyndham, the tournament has changed courses and its image, and the image is that of Snedeker, the mop-haired Vandy grad whose final-round 63 closed the Forest Oaks era. He said Sedgefield actually sets up better for his game.

Greensboro itself sets up nicely for Snedeker, who said he was driving around town one day recently when his fiancee looked up and saw his face on a giant billboard.

"I almost choked," he said. "I started laughing when I saw it. It was just one of those things you never really think about. I couldn't help but laugh."

There he was, captured forever in a pose reminiscent of past winners of an event that dates to before World War II, looming over the highway and heralding the coming of the golf tournament. Snedeker is dressed in blue on the billboard, holding a follow-through with a WWII-era crowd standing in the background. The original picture actually was of Ben Hogan.

Snedeker said he wants a copy of the photo to send home. People in Greensboro have been calling for copies, too. They recognize old friends and family members in the shot. Snedeker's fiancee just cracked up when they first saw it.

"I was driving," he said. "I didn't hit anybody, but I definitely swerved."

He'd heard of the billboard campaign and knew from his colleagues that being the defending champion of an event meant certain distractions. Since his win last year, his first as a PGA Tour member, the 27-year-old has signed a sponsorship deal with Wyndham requiring numerous appearances, and he has made several trips back to Greensboro in recent months.

He was in the first group to tee off Wednesday in the pro-am, drawing a 6:50 a.m. start alongside Wyndham wheel Franz Hanning. The early start allowed Snedeker an early finish, but that only meant more appearances. At the end of a long day, he was to have hit a ceremonial opening drive with attack helicopters flying overhead and with celebrities Richard Petty and Arnold Palmer in attendance. Low clouds scrapped the flights out of Fort Bragg, and rain pushed the ceremonial singing of the national anthem by local resident Emily Watkins inside the Sedgefield clubhouse.

Snedeker, the last to speak in the long and winding ceremony, looked out over a cramped room of cameras and bright lights and fans and reporters and tournament officials. People were outside peering into the windows and standing outside the doors waiting for the dignitaries to walk out.

"Y'all got hosed," Snedeker said, breaking up the room.

He's not entirely comfortable in front of a crowd yet, not quite the polished former champion the tour seems to produce week after week, not the cookie-cutter pro in gaudy clothes. Snedeker's a Tennessee guy who looks and talks like a Tennessee guy. He's not used to the notoriety or the appearances or the distractions.

"There haven't been many," he said, being judicious. "I got to meet Arnold Palmer and Richard Petty. That was great. I wish I could go through this every week."

Snedeker understands this is the way it is at the top. It's finally hit him this week how special last year was, and it's starting to hit him that people here know him better than any golf fans on earth.

"I guess they've postered my face up enough around town where people start recognizing me, see something with my ugly mug on it," he said.

Snedeker is three shots off the lead in the town where he won last year. What would another win do for his profile here?

"Be on the side of a building?" he asked. "Would that be next? That's what I would expect next time. Maybe next year if I sneak out another win this year, I want to be on the side of a building downtown."

He's a good guy. After the indoor ceremony Wednesday, Snedeker agreed to walk outside to the wet first tee and hit one shot for the cameras. Thursday, after a 66 that left him in sight of the leaders, he stood and signed autographs for kids holding cups with Snedeker's photo on the side and carrying passes with his image on the front. Despite the crisp new purple shirt with the Wyndham logo on the collar, he looked as if he could be on the other side of the ropes.

Being a celebrity still doesn't come naturally for Brandt Snedeker, but he's catching on pretty quickly.

Contact Ed Hardin at 373-7069 or ed.hardin@news-record.com