Sony Open in Hawaii: Second-round notebook
By John Bush, PGA TOUR Staff
HONOLULU -- Tom Pernice Jr. (63) and Nathan Green (66) moved into a share of the lead after two rounds of the Sony Open in Hawaii on Friday, moving one stroke clear of Brian Gay (67) and first-round leader Shigeki Maruyama (68).
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• Australian Green posted a second consecutive 4-under 66 in his fourth career start at Waialae Country Club (fifth in 2006, tied for 34th in 2007, missed cut in 2008). This represents the second 36-hole lead of his career on the PGA TOUR. The first came after rounds of 67-63 at the 2007 John Deere Classic, resulting in a tied for third finish.
• Pernice, who needed just 20 putts on Friday, is making his ninth start at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with a tie for ninth in 2008 his best outing. Making his 506th career start this week, Pernice struggled in his first seven starts here, with a tie for 42nd his only made cut prior to last season's top-10 finish. This is the eighth 36-hole lead of his career, with two of those leading to the winner's circle (1999 Buick Open and the 2001 The International). The two-time PGA TOUR winner will become eligible for the Champions Tour later this year when he reaches his 50th birthday on Sept. 5.
• The cut came at 1-over-par 141 with 78 players advancing to the weekend.
• Tadd Fujikawa, at 18 years and 8 days, posted a 1-under 69 on Friday to make the cut for the first time as a professional (seven starts) on the PGA TOUR. He also has two starts as an amateur on TOUR, finishing tied for 20th at the 2007 Sony Open in Hawaii. At even-par 140, Fujikawa will enter the third round in a tie for 50th place. He'll earn a paycheck of at least $9,936, which will be paid out to the 78th-place finisher on Sunday.
• Lorens Chan, at 14 years, 7 months and 25 days, failed in his attempt to become the youngest player in PGA TOUR history to make a cut -- a distinction held by Bob Panasik (15 years, 8 months, 20 days) at the 1957 Canadian Open. Chan finished the tournament at 7-over 147 after a 75 on Friday. Incidentally, Fujikawa is the second youngest to make the cut in a TOUR event, doing so at the age of 16 years and four days at the 2007 Sony Open in Hawaii.
• First-round leader Shigeki Maruyama hung tough on Friday with a 2-under 68, with his lone bogey coming at the par-4 14th hole. The 39-year-old native of Chiba, Japan, has now made nine cuts in 11 starts at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with three top-10 finishes and a best effort of a tie for third in 2005.
• This is the second consecutive year that Steve Marino has been inside the top 10 through 36 holes at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Last year, at 8-under 132, he was tied for fourth through two rounds and six shots behind tournament leader K.J. Choi. He went on to finish tied for fourth. Rounds of 68-67 this year have in a tie for seventh place, three shots behind the leaders.
• Steve Stricker posted a 2-under 68 to move to a tie for 25th on the leaderboard. The four-time PGA TOUR winner has finished tied for fourth at the Sony Open in Hawaii each of the last two years.
• 2009 Mercedes-Benz Championship winner Geoff Ogilvy continues his strong play, with a second-round 1-under 69 good enough for a tie for seventh spot on the leaderboard. This is Ogilvy's sixth start at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with his only previous made cut leading to a tied for eighth finish in 2007.
• David Mathis, who finished 14th on the 2008 Nationwide Tour money list, posted a 68 for the second consecutive day to lead the graduating class through the first two rounds (tied for 11th). Matt Bettencourt, the leading money-winner on the Nationwide Tour in 2008, rallied from an opening 73 with a 2-under 68 to make the cut in his first career start on the PGA TOUR.
• Past champions of the Sony Open in Hawaii and their standing through 36 holes: Corey Pavin (MC), John Huston (WD), Jeff Sluman (MC), Paul Azinger (T63), Brad Faxon (MC), Jerry Kelly (tied for 38th), Ernie Els (tied for 63rd), David Toms (tied for 11th), Paul Goydos (MC) and Choi (tied for 16th).
• Two-time Sony Open in Hawaii champion Els (tied for 63rd) bounced back from an opening 2-over 72 with a 1-under 69 on Friday -- including a birdie on his final hole to make the cut on the number. He has now posted par-or-better scores in 20 of 22 rounds at the Sony Open in Hawaii -- including 19 rounds in the 60s. He is seeking his sixth top-5 finish in as many appearances at the tournament.
• After no bogey-free rounds on Thursday, three players performed the feat during the second round, including Pernice (63), Stewart Cink (65) and David Toms (66).
• Scoring Averages: Thursday: 71.326. Friday: 70.113 Cumulative: 70.724.
• The par-4 13th hole played the toughest on Friday, yielding a 4.514 average and just two birdies. The par-5 ninth hole was the easiest at 4.134.
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