Wholesale Golf Equipment and Accessories: 01/22/13

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Weir in contention for second major title

Updated: July 16, 2004, 8:10 AM ET

Reuters

TROON, Scotland -- Mike Weir has given himself a chance to add to his 2003 Masters title by taking a crash course on links golf.

After shooting a 3-under 68 in a strong wind on Friday to move to within two strokes of the British Open second round lead, the 34-year-old Canadian said he had arrived in Scotland early to prepare himself for the Royal Troon course.

"I spent a few days playing other links courses around here -- at Turnberry, Dornoch and Prestwick -- so that I wouldn't be coming straight from playing U.S. Tour golf to links," said Weir. "I've learned to play the shots you need.

"Keeping the ball down in the wind isn't really a problem, because I hit the ball low anyway, but you need to plot your way around the course," said Weir, who shot a 71 in Thursday's opening round. "I was hitting five-irons, for instance, when my partners were playing eight-irons, using my imagination. I'd eyeball the yardages and I played a game with my caddie, telling him before he gave me the distance what it was."

Weir's three successive birdies from the fifth, when the wind was against his swing, put him on the leaderboard.

"It's a tough wind for me going out, a right-to-left wind, so I have to hit a lot of draws. Coming back it's a left-to-right wind, and it sets up a little better for me," said Weir, who birdied the 16th in addition to eight pars on the inward nine. "I'm controlling the ball well. I'm not hanging any wild shots. If I can just warm up the putter a bit, I have chance."

Weir in contention for second major title

Updated: July 16, 2004, 8:10 AM ET

Reuters

TROON, Scotland -- Mike Weir has given himself a chance to add to his 2003 Masters title by taking a crash course on links golf.

Weir's three successive birdies from the fifth, when the wind was against his swing, put him on the leaderboard.

Weir in contention for second major title

Updated: July 16, 2004, 8:10 AM ET

Reuters

TROON, Scotland -- Mike Weir has given himself a chance to add to his 2003 Masters title by taking a crash course on links golf.

Weir's three successive birdies from the fifth, when the wind was against his swing, put him on the leaderboard.

Kendall in lead, but big names lurking

Updated: July 16, 2004, 3:05 PM ET

Associated Press

TROON, Scotland -- Skip Kendall, the ultimate grinder who has played more than 300 PGA Tour events without a win, eagled the 16th hole Friday from off the green on his way to a 5-under 66 and the second round lead in the British Open.

Kendall finished his second round at 7-under 135, good enough for a two-shot lead over England's Barry Lane and K.J. Choi of South Korea midway through the Open. The only player with a real chance to catch him on the course was Thomas Levet of France, who was 6 under through 12 holes.

Playing in only his third Open, Kendall made four birdies against one bogey before rolling in a putt from well off the green on the par-5 16th hole at Royal Troon to take the unexpected lead.

The 39-year-old Kendall hasn't won since he was on the Nike Tour in 1994, though he came agonizingly close when he lost in a playoff earlier this year to Phil Mickelson in the Bob Hope Classic. He has four career seconds and has won more than $6.5 million, but has yet to win on tour.

Kendall led an eclectic collection of players, some well known and some not, from countries around the world.

On a day when hometown favorite Colin Montgomerie kept his hopes up and Tiger Woodsplayed solid, if not spectacular, Kendall came from three shots off the pace to grab the lead with his eagle.

Proven major championship winners Ernie Els and Vijay Singh led a group of four players at 4 under, three shots back, while Mickelson was making a move on the back nine at 4 under for the day and 2 under for the tournament.

Making a bid for one of two majors he hasn't won, Singh put together a solid 1-under 70 Friday that was good enough to stay in contention.

Singh, whose chance to win the Open last year came apart on the last three holes at Royal St. George, played the difficult back nine without making a bogey on a day when the winds were never really a big factor at Royal Troon.

"I know I have to go out there and grab it,'' Singh said. "I was given chances before and I didn't take them and I am in great position again this week.''

Singh has won the Masters and PGA Championship, and needs the British and U.S. Opens to complete his personal Grand Slam. After posting his early score Friday, though, he was more concerned with the immediate future.

"It would be nice,'' he said. "I'm playing well, which is the best way to attack them, and if you feel good about your game then you have a good chance of achieving that.''

The leaders didn't include Woods, though he briefly flirted with the top of the leaderboard before finishing with an even par round that put him at 141, three behind the clubhouse leaders.

Woods, winless in his last eight major championships, appeared to be on his way to a low round when he made two early birdies. But he missed a 3-footer for par on the seventh hole and then three-putted from off the green on the ninth.

Woods, whose lone British Open win came four years ago at St. Andrews, shot a 71 that included nine pars heading into the wind on the back nine and was at 1-under 141. He was one of the few Americans on a leaderboard crowded with international players.

"I'm right in the championship,'' Woods said. "I've got a great chance of winning this thing coming into the weekend.''

The most international of Opens lived up to its reputation in the opening round Thursday, offering up an eclectic collection of international players at the top and a pair of unlikely leaders in Casey and Levet.

That was no different on Friday when the wind that had been so calm a day before picked up some in the morning, then faded again as the day wore on.

Campbell followed his opening 67 with a 71 that included a birdie on No. 8 after his tee shot took a fortunate bounce off a mound while heading toward a deep bunker.

"You're just trying to grind out some pars,'' Campbell said. "Four under after two rounds is pretty good I think.''

Also at 4 under was Hamilton, as unlikely a contender as you'll see.

Before winning the Honda Classic this year, the 38-year-old Hamilton was a journeyman who played the Japanese Tour while making eight attempts to qualify for the PGA Tour. Hamilton, who lives in McKinney, Texas, holed his second shot on No. 7 for an eagle on his way to a 67.

U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, trying to win his second major championship in a row, played a remarkably steady round on a course that usually plays fairly easy on the front nine and much more difficult on the back. He made a birdie on the seventh hole and 17 pars for a 70 that put him at 3-under 139.

"I didn't really play that well, but I had a lot of good up and downs,'' Goosen said.

Mike Weir, meanwhile, birdied three straight holes on the front side on his way to a 68 that put him at 3-under 139 through two rounds. Kenny Perry, one of the few Americans on the leaderboard, birdied the 18th hole for a 70 to tie Weir.

Big names rising on leaderboard

Updated: July 16, 2004, 7:20 AM ET

ESPN.com wire services

While co-leaders Paul Casey and Thomas Levet waited to tee off in afternoon groups in the second round, they could see the wind blowing and very few players scoring well.

Those who did manage to score well in the morning groups were experienced players, winners of multiple events on the PGA Tour.

2003 Masters champion Mike Weir and Australian Adam Scott each posted rounds of 68 to tie for best in the clubhouse.

Weir followed his opening round 71 with a 3-under 68 on the strength of three consecutive birdies on the front side. Weir's only blemish came at the ninth hole, where he bogeyed to finish the front side in 34. Seeking his second career major win, the lefthanded Canadian then shot a 1-under 34 on the inward nine, birdieing the par-5 16th hole, which is playing as Royal Troon's easiest.

Scott celebrated his 24th birthday on Friday with a 68 to match that of Weir. Scott, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, birdied holes 1, 4, 14 and 16 before bogeying 17 to finish at 1 under overall for the championship. He shot a 73 in Thursday's opening round.

A barrage of birdies toward the end of Kenny Perry's round catapulted him toward the top of the leaderboard. After Perry played the first 13 holes in 3 over, he birdied four of the last five holes -- making par only on the 17th -- to close out a round of 70. In the first round, Perry had gotten his score to 5 under on the fornt side before finally shooting a 2-under 69. He currently stands at 3 under for the championship.

Win over top seed assures quarterfinal spot

Updated: July 15, 2004, 10:31 PM ET

Associated Press

MAPLE GROVE, Minn. -- Will Claxton beat top-seeded Danny Green in a record 26-hole match Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links.

Claxton, of Swainsboro, Ga., a rising senior at Auburn, was 4 down through 12 holes. He tied the 47-year-old Green, of Jackson, Tenn., with a birdie on No. 17 and a chip-in for eagle on 18 at the Rush Creek Golf Club course.

Claxton kept the match going with a 15-foot par putt on the 25th hole and then won it on the par-5 eighth with an 8-foot downhill putt for a birdie.

"I haven't played match play until this week," Claxton said. "I talked to my roommate Lee Williams, who was on the USA Walker Cup team, about it and that helped."

The previous longest match in Public Links history was a 25-hole match in 1963, when Clyde E. Sniffen defeated Hung Soo Ahn.

Green, the oldest remaining player in the field, had set USGA and Public Links records with a 13-under 131 in stroke play. He was the runner-up in the 2001 Public Links.

"I let it get away at 13 and 14 to let him get back in the match," Green said. "It's my own fault."

Claxton was pushed to 18 holes earlier Thursday in his second-round match, beating Daryl Fathauer, of Stuart, Fla., 1 up.

Ryan Moore, of Puyallup, Wash., the 2002 U.S. Public Links champion, cruised into the quarterfinals. The No. 2 seed beat Christopher Davidson, of Woodstock, Md., 5 and 4 in the second round, and Jon Veneziano of Mount Dora, Fla., 5 and 4 in the third.

Dayton Rose, of Midwest City, Okla., the 2003 public links runner-up, also reached the quarterfinals. The Oklahoma State University golfer rallied from 3 down through eight holes to beat Brian Atkinson, of Palatine, Ill. in 19 holes. He later beat Brendan Steele, of Idyllwild, Calif., 1 up.

The quarterfinals and semifinals are Friday with the 36-hole final on Saturday. The winner earns a berth in the 2005 Masters.

B.C. Open first-round scores

Updated: July 15, 2004, 9:38 PM ET

Associated Press

ENDICOTT, N.Y. -- Scores Thursday from the first round of the $3 million B.C. Open, played at the 6,974-yard, par-72 (37-35) En-Joie Golf Club:

Kelly Gibson              31-33--64    8-under


Camilo Villegas           36-29--65    7-under
Todd Fischer              33-32--65
John E. Morgan            30-35--65
Kevin Stadler             33-32--65

Brenden Pappas            33-33--66    6-under
Brett Quigley             34-32--66
Garrett Willis            32-34--66
Roland Thatcher           33-33--66

Tommy Tolles              35-32--67    5-under
Mike Heinen               33-34--67
Jonathan Byrd             34-33--67
Gabriel Hjertstedt        35-32--67
Jim Benepe                34-33--67
Neal Lancaster            33-34--67
Olin Browne               35-32--67
Tom Carter                34-33--67
Lucas Glover              33-34--67
Jason Bohn                34-33--67
Craig Stadler             34-33--67

Greg Chalmers             35-33--68    4-under
Jay Williamson            35-33--68
Craig Bowden              35-33--68
Joey Sindelar             33-35--68
Hidemichi Tanaka          35-33--68
Stan Utley                36-32--68
Daniel Chopra             36-32--68

Mark Wiebe                37-32--69    3-under
Ted Purdy                 36-33--69
Richard S. Johnson        32-37--69
Ken Green                 37-32--69
Jason Dufner              33-36--69
Roger Tambellini          36-33--69
Brock Mackenzie           35-34--69
Carl Paulson              36-33--69
Chris Smith               36-33--69
John Cook                 36-33--69
Brandt Snedeker           36-33--69
Brian Kortan              36-33--69

Jim Carter                37-33--70    2-under
Michael Clark II          34-36--70
Kevin Na                  37-33--70
Pat Bates                 37-33--70
Mark Wilson               33-37--70
David Morland IV          36-34--70
David Peoples             35-35--70
Dan Pohl                  36-34--70
Hank Kuehne               37-33--70
Robin Freeman             35-35--70
Jim Gallagher, Jr.        35-35--70
Kevin Muncrief            37-33--70
Rick Fehr                 36-34--70

David Edwards             37-34--71    1-under
Esteban Toledo            38-33--71
John Senden               35-36--71
Mike Sposa                36-35--71
John Morse                37-34--71
Grant Waite               34-37--71
Vaughn Taylor             38-33--71
Dan Olsen                 37-34--71
Omar Uresti               37-34--71
Alex Cejka                34-37--71
Dicky Pride               37-34--71
John Rollins              38-33--71
Dean Wilson               38-33--71
Mike Springer             37-34--71
John Adams                37-34--71
Mike Sullivan             36-35--71
Akio Sadakata             35-36--71
Mike Grob                 37-34--71
William Link IV           39-32--71

Ted Tryba                 34-38--72    Even
Willie Wood               36-36--72
Steve Allan               34-38--72
Mike Standly              37-35--72
Kent Jones                34-38--72
Hiroyuki Fujita           38-34--72
Billy Andrade             39-33--72
Bill Britton              37-35--72
Blaine McCallister        37-35--72
Danny Briggs              34-38--72
Dave Rummells             37-35--72
Wes Short, Jr.            39-33--72
Aaron Barber              39-33--72
Tim Conley                37-35--72
Wayne Levi                38-34--72
Matt Hendrix              36-36--72
Dennis Colligan           37-35--72
Brad Bryant               38-34--72

David Sutherland          35-38--73    1-over
Greg Kraft                37-36--73
Brad Fabel                37-36--73
Tripp Isenhour            36-37--73
Notah Begay III           38-35--73
David Ogrin               40-33--73
Mike Hulbert              39-34--73
Jay Don Blake             38-35--73
Brian Henninger           35-38--73
Keith Clearwater          38-35--73
Ken Duke                  39-34--73
David Branshaw            36-37--73

David Gossett             37-37--74    2-over
Jim McGovern              39-35--74
Dan Halldorson            39-35--74
Phil Tataurangi           37-37--74
Fred Funk                 38-36--74
Bill Glasson              39-35--74
David Branham             38-36--74
Trevor Dodds              38-36--74
Michael Allen             36-38--74
David Frost               39-35--74
Larry Rinker              37-37--74
Nolan Henke               37-37--74
Bill Haas                 38-36--74

Matt Kuchar               37-38--75    3-over
Scott Simpson             38-37--75
Robert Gamez              40-35--75
Donnie Hammond            35-40--75
Joel Edwards              35-40--75
Gary Hallberg             36-39--75
Tag Ridings               39-36--75
Sam Randolph              36-39--75

Mac O'Grady               38-38--76    4-over
Kenny Knox                38-38--76
Bradley Heaven            39-37--76
Guy Boros                 40-36--76
Michael Bradley           36-40--76

J.P. Hayes                39-38--77    5-over
Mike Donald               38-39--77
Hirofumi Miyase           38-39--77

Kevin Savage              42-40--82    10-over

Bob Lohr                  43-43--86    14-over

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Weir in contention for second major title

Weir in contention for second major title

Weir in contention for second major title

Kendall in lead, but big names lurking

Big names rising on leaderboard

Win over top seed assures quarterfinal spot

B.C. Open first-round scores

Dental Blog List