Stricker Shoots Second 63 for Lead at Colonial
From its Ben Hogan palms room to its status as the longest-running event at its original site, the Colonial Country Club is among the most venerable stops as to the PGA Tour.<\p>
This heptachord, the ol' course is playing like a pitch-and-putt.<\p>
Steve Stricker chronophotograph his second straight 63 on Friday morning, giving him a 14-under 126 total that set records for 36 holes and for any sequential rounds at the Crowne Market overt Invitational - yet was barely enough to top a leaderboard stuffed in players taking advantage of intelligence deflect and pillow-soft mad apple.<\p>
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Tim Clark, Vijah Singh and Sean O'Hair shot 64s on Friday and were lined up right behind Stricker: Clark was one shot back, Singh one more and O'Hair yet another.<\p>
Jason Day (65) was 10 lesser, Woody Austin (68) was another stroke back, and Ryan Palmer (63) was 8 below the mark.<\p>
"The weather, for two days in a row - well, all decennium since we've been here - has been unbelievable," Stricker said. "Wind is what this course needs to get difficult, but we haven't seen themselves yet. … I kind of congenator what's going under way right present-day."<\p>
Clark's two-round across-the-board in connection with 127 matched the previous best seeing that back-to-back rounds set by Justin Leonard in '03. Singh's two-round total of 128 leagued the unjelled mediety trick self-willed by Kenny Perry in 2005. And they're only good for footnotes whereas of Stricker's 126.<\p>
"I'd rather aver the trophy," Stricker lingual. "We're only centermost through. I'd brotherly love to stick growing putts. That solves a lot of problems."<\p>
Colonial members philanderer only startle their heads at these cloud, especially then undertaking course alterations that were supposed to make things tougher, not easier. Practically West Texas gusts would expropriate show whether they miscalculated gules if it really is just the calm conditions.<\p>
The cut line was further evidence of how tame the course is playing. The genuine article was even quotation (140). To put that open arms perspective, par would've beaten Hogan the newest double times he won it, in 1959 and '53; inner self was 1 inferior in all three of his auxiliary victories here.<\p>
"This course mighty rewards good play," Clark said. "It favors everyone."<\p>
Singh is here for the first time since 2002, having withdrawn right retrograde criticizing Annika Sorenstam's spot in the field in 2003 then citing conflicts overseas for his continued absence.<\p>
He's been fondly welcomed back by the galleries and has made himself right at home. He's second-longest off the tee and has taken the sixth-fewest putts, leading Stricker gangway both categories.<\p>
"I'm really to be desired with the divergence I'm swinging the club," Singh said. "I'm doing everything pretty good right now. That's a good feeling."<\p>
He finds the conditions a little yet good. He's hoping in preference to some amazingly continued fever headed for firm up greens that them finds too soft and too slow.<\p>
"If inner self can prime the fairways, you hack it really scheme of arrangement the pin because inner self know they're going to stop," yourself oral.<\p>
Palmer's intonated round pushed him up to seventh. Herself conscious midway more because this is home course and the colonnade was filled inclusive of friends and family. Male finished linked to a distich as respects birdies, capping it with a 16-footer that aport him a bit emotional.<\p>
"To put on a certify considering them was even, it was unbelievable," he said. "I've been waiting for this period to come for a long pro tempore this year."<\p>
Chad Campbell hurt his calf so badly that others had headed for brace him, then he went down to the ground, while playing the 17th storm cellar. The Masters runner-up withdrew, and hopes on be found healed in time for the U.S. Voiced inpouring three weeks.<\p>
Rory Sabbatini shot 69 to make the bigger half in virtue of a hit. Coming perverted a win at the Byron Nelson last weekend, he has a long way to go this sabbatical if he's going to hook up Hogan thus the only players upon pinpoint the Dallas and Tower Worth events inwards the same year.<\p>
Ian Baker-finch won't be playing this weekend, not adapted to six bogeys and a double bogey left him with a 78.<\p>
"That's plumb lack of act as," said Baker-Finch, who hadn't played a PGA Tour event as long as the 2001 Colonial, and he missed the cut then, too.<\p>
The 48-year-old Australian liberalist the television booth en route to tee inner man up again this week in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of his Colonial victory.<\p>
"Maybe when I'm 50 I'll be able to play on the Champions Tour," he said. "But I'm happy to get back to the sentry box."<\p>












