THE TOUR Championship, Round 2
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By PGATOUR.COM Staff
TIGER STUMBLES (5:50 p.m.): It certainly was not the finish Tiger Woods wanted, a bogey on the par-3 18th hole after his chip shot from the left rough got hung up in the rough. Still, his round of 68 leaves him in the lead at 5 under, one shot clear of Padraig Harrington and Sean O'Hair.
This easily could have been a 64 or 65 for Woods, who hit the ball extremely well most of the day. Only a couple of errant shots prevented that. Woods has been impeccable when leading after two rounds, closing the deal 33 of 40 times in his career, and there's no reason to think he won't make that 34 of 41 this week.
If Woods does that, he'll win the FedExCup. It obviously won't be easy, though. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, who has been as hot as anybody in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, is one back and will play with him again early Saturday with the tee times having been moved up due to expected bad weather. Sean O'Hair and Ernie Els are right there, too, but both have faltered trying to beat Woods before. Now they'll have a shot at redemption.
No matter what happens, tomorrow should live up to moving day expectations with 10 players within four shots with 36 holes to play and $10 million on the line. -- Brian Wacker
PRESIDENTS CUP ON THE BRAIN (5:35 p.m.): Kenny Perry played himself back into this tournament by shooting a 4-under 66 today -- six shots lower than yesterday -- to get to within four of the lead and into a tie for fifth.
Perry is also about as patriotic as they come, though, and he's certainly looking forward to The Presidents Cup in two weeks.
"it might have been [Nick] Faldo [last year] who said that we need to win the Ryder Cup to kind of bring back the flare and the mystique of it. I think The International team needs to start winning some more and make it to where the fans will see it and view it and make it a nice -- be a great event," Perry said.
Zing. That's about as close as you'll come to bulletin board material, but Perry was making a fair point that the intensity is a little different because they play against guys they see almost every week, compared to players from Europe whom they might see less often.
That doesn't mean Perry's competitive fire won't be stoked -- he's also looking forward to meeting Michael Jordan, who will be on hand for the U.S. team.
"I only shook his hand when he was on the 12th tee box there at the Ryder Cup.," Perry said. "To us it's going to be cool just to hang around with that cat, just to be able to just go up and shake his hand and listening to his stories. I want to hear some NBA stories; I don't want to hear no golf stories." -- Brian Wacker
SECOND ROUND WINDING DOWN (5:15 p.m.): Even Tiger Woods isn't perfect, even when he's playing well. Case in point: He just missed a birdie putt from inside 4 feet on No. 16. Still, Woods has a two-shot lead with two holes to play and if things stay as they are, he'll play with Padraig Harrington again tomorrow.
Today marks the 12th time the two have played together in stroke-play and, as noted this morning, Woods has bested Harrington on nine of 11 previous occasions. That'll more than likely be 10 of 12 after today with Woods 3 under through 16 holes today and Harrington 1 under.
Woods has had some trouble off the tee this week, but his iron play has been better than good -- he leads the field in greens in regulation. And even when he has missed the green, Woods hasn't had much trouble -- he leads the field in scrambling, too. Woods' putting hasn't been bad, either, with 55 total putts so far (currently tied for seventh fewest in the field).
Woods might not have won a major this year, but he's certainly had some major performances this season and this could be shaping up to be another one. -- Brian Wacker
TIDBITS FROM TOMS (4:59 p.m.): David Toms wasn't pleased after shooting a 4-over 74 in Thursday's first round. He felt extremely better after Friday's second-round 66 that put him back in contention at East Lake.
"I was pretty down after yesterday's round," Toms said. "I didn't do anything well yesterday at all. .. My goal after yesterday was somehow to get back to even par in this tournament by the end because it's a tough golf course for me."
Toms is now even par for the tournament and goes into the weekend with some confidence, although his accuracy off the tee has disappeared. He entered this week leading the TOUR in driving accuracy but has hit just 11 of 28 fairways the first two days, including just four fairways Friday.
"(I've) got to figure out the driver," Toms said. -- Mike McAllister
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TIGER UPDATE (4:35 p.m.): Sure, Tiger Woods has an overflowing closet's worth of highlight-reel moment, but in the grind that is golf the thing that separates him from pretty much everybody else is how he turns bogeys into pars (and of course pars into birdies). The 13th hole here at East Lake was a perfect example of the former. Having missed the green on his approach shot from a fairway bunker from 189 yards, Woods compounded the situation by leaving his chip shot 22 feet short of the hole.
Now, a lot of guys would bogey in that situation and that includes Woods. Not this time, though. Woods rattled one in, saving par to keep himself in a tie for the lead with playing partner Padraig Harrington.
Is there any wonder why either of these guys is atop the leaderboard on what's proving to be a very, very difficult East Lake? -- Brian Wacker
PHIL'S PUTTING (4:25 p.m.): Phil Mickelson hasn't been happy with his putting for a long time, but he may have found the cure last week during a couple of practice sessions with Dave Stockton. The work certainly was evident Friday when Mickelson rolled in four lengthy putts en route to a 3-under 67.
Mickelson made a putt of just under 22 feet to start his round and added putts of 18, 23 and 17 feet on the front side. Overall, he made 123 feet, 7 inches of putts on Friday, which may end up being the most of anyone in the field in the second round once play is completed.
"I have been struggling with the putter for two years almost, with an occasional good week here or there," Mickelson said after his round. "Now I feel like I've got the right track, the right direction that I want and I'll continue to spend more time with (Stockton) as need be."
Stockton was at Torrey Pines last week for an LPGA event, and Mickelson, who lives nearby, got in a couple of sessions with him. Stockton "just reaffirmed the way I've putted since I was a kid," Mickeson said. -- Mike McAllister
OUT OF CINK (4:10 p.m.): Stewart Cink might have just caught a little of what Padraig Harrington has been suffering from lately. In a tie for the lead at 5 under, Cink just made a mess of the 10th hole, pumping two tee shots into trouble left. His fifth shot stayed in play, but by the time all the dust cleared, Cink was in with a quadruple-bogey 8, dropping him from 2 under on his round to 2 over. Cink is now just 1 under for the week and trailing by four shots.
That was also the second quad of the week here with Phil Mickelson posting one ysterday on the 14th hole. -- Brian Wacker
TIGER AT THE TURN (3:50 p.m.): Here are some numbers to digest: 5 of 7 fairways and 8 of 9 greens in regulation with 15 putts and three straight birdies. Add them all up and you'll get Tiger Woods' front nine here at East Lake today, where he just moved into the lead by himself at 5 under with a third straight birdie to close out the front side.
If Woods puts up similar numbers on the more difficult back nine, we could be well on our way to another Woods victory. He tends to step on the gas pedal in these situations and with some weather on the way for tomorrow, it's certainly possible he could have a mini-stranglehold on this thing by Sunday. Stay tuned. -- Brian Wacker
TOUGH HOLES (3:43 p.m.) The 30-man field have all made it through the first eight holes, and two holes on the front side did not yield a single birdie Friday -- the par-3 second and the par-4 fifth.
The 520-yard fifth, one of the longest par-4 holes on the PGA TOUR, has played as the toughest hole thus far. The fifth has yielded just two birdies this week, by Padraig Harrington and Jerry Kelly in the first round. The par-4 16th and the par-3 18th also has not been birdied on Friday, although a majority of the field has yet to reach those holes. -- Mike McAllister
THREE TIED AT THE TOP (3:33 p.m.): So much for those early struggles for Tiger Woods. Since bogeying the par-4 fifth, the top seed in the FedExCup standings has pulled into a tie for the lead with back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth holes, where he rolled in putts of 7 and 3 feet, respectively (and he has another attempt coming from 9 feet on No. 9). That brings Woods to 4 under for the tournament and moves him into a share of the lead with Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink. -- Brian Wacker
EASY DOING IT AGAIN (3:15 p.m.): Ernie Els made noise at Liberty National. Angel Cabrera made noise the next week at TPC Boston. They're both being heard loud and clear right now at East Lake.
Els has moved into a tie for fourth by carding four birdies in a five-hole stretch. He's now 3 under on his round and 2 under for the tournament.
Masters champion Cabrera, meanwhile, ounced back from a double bogey at the par-4 10th when he found the greenside rough by rolling in three consecutive birdie putts, including a couple of lengthy ones -- a 16-foot, 4-inch putt on the 12th and a 17-foot, 10-inch putt on the 13th.
Cabrera is 2 under for his round and even par for the tournament. -- Mike McAllister
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CLOSE FOR COMFORT (3 p.m.): One of the most interesting things about THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola so far? No one is running away from the field at East Lake. Of the 30 players who make the finale of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, 24 stand within five strokes of the lead held by Padraig Harrington and Sean O'Hair at 4 under. -- Helen Ross
DUFNER NO DUFFER (2:50 p.m.): Jason Dufner is showing that his career-best tie for second at the Deutsche Bank Championship was no fluke.
Dufner is 3 under for his round and has moved into a tie for fourth at 2 under for the tournament.
Dufner, you may recall, used his result at TPC Boston to jump from No. 57 to ninth in the FedExCup standings. The next week, he finished in a tie for 30th to secure his spot at East Lake.
Dufner hit his first 12 greens in regulation during Thursday's first round, but could only manage a 1-over 71. On Friday, he hit just four greens on the front side, but he one-putted six of his first eight holes. -- Mike McAllister
TOMS TURNS IT AROUND (2:45 p.m.): David Toms has had a Jekyll-and-Hyde first two rounds at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
Toms didn't make a birdie on Thursday in shooting a 74 that left him one rung above dead last. A bogey on the fifth hole in the second round then dropped him to 5 over before Toms suddenly began to turn things around.
Starting at No. 8 Toms birdied four of his next five holes and he added another one at the 15th hole to get back to even for the tournament. His birdie putts came from 11, 10, 9, 11 and 6 feet. -- Helen Ross
PADDY PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF (2:40 p.m.): There's been no hotter player in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup than Padraig Harrington. At least no hotter player who has yet to win. Harrington has finished in the top six in each of the first three events. Actually, he's finished in the top 10 in each of his last five events, dating back to the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.
That trend has continued at East Lake, where Harrington shot 67 yesterday and is already 1 under through five holes today (which coincidentally gives him a share of the lead at 4 under right now).
So what's the difference? For one, his ball-striking is much improved from earlier in the year when he underwent some swing changes. The bigger difference, however, might be his putting. Harrington has just one three-putt in the Playoffs and this week is currently second in total putts here with 34 through 23 holes.
Now if Harrington could just avoid making a double bogey -- or worse. Harrington has made at least one each of his last 13 tournaments. -- Brian Wacker
PERRY TURNING IT AROUND (2:28 p.m.): Kenny Perry appears headed toward his best round of these Playoffs. He's 3 under through the first 11 holes with birdies on four of his first 10 holes. Perry shot 2-over 72 in the first round.
In Perry's first 13 rounds of the Playoffs, his lowest round was a 69 (three times). Consequently, Perry did not make an impact before the reset; his best finish was a tie for 45th at the BMW Championship.
Even if Perry doesn't win THE TOUR Championship this week, he's already won a big prize: the Payne Stewart Award. (Click here for more information.) -- Mike McAllister
TIGER AND PADDY (2:18 p.m.): Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington will be the most popular twosome on the course today. They won't be hard to spot because of the crowds ... and also because of their brightly colored shirts.
Woods is wearing an orange shirt, while Harrington is wearing lime green -- two day-glo colors against an overcast Atlanta sky.
Each player has parred the first three holes, and they both remain at 3 under for the tournament (click here to follow them live with Shot Tracker). -- Mike McAllister
SATURDAY TEE TIMES MOVED UP (2 p.m.): The threat of heavy rain on Saturday has prompted officials at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola to move tee times up for the third round at East Lake Golf Club.
The elite field of 30 players competing in the finale of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup will now be sent off the first tee from 8-10:20 a.m. The projected finish time is 2:30 p.m.
The forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms on Saturday and rain could be heavy at times. The rain should move out of the area by Sunday morning when mostly sunny skies and a high of 80 is forecast.
East Lake absorbed a foot of rain in a six-day period that ended Monday, including 4 inches on that day alone. Other areas of metropolitan Atlanta were hit even harder and nine people were killed in flooding that closed more than 100 roads, including four interstates, and washed out bridges.
Thanks to a SubAir system installed after the 2006 event, though, East Lake drains extremely well. The small field also will make things easier if play is delayed beyond the new tee times.
Gates at East Lake will open to the public at 7 a.m. -- Helen Ross
BOGEY TRAIN ROLLS ON (1:35 p.m.): It's been a tough 18 holes for Geoff Ogilvy.
On his back nine in the first round, Ogilvy carded four bogeys without a birdie on his way to shooting 75 -- the highest score from Thursday.
Then, as part of the first twosome (with David Toms) going out Friday morning, Ogilvy produced four more bogeys without a birdie on the front nine as he made the turn in 39. Ogilvy is now 9 over for the tournament.
Ogilvy was the hottest player early this season with two wins in his first five starts. But outside of a seventh at the Deutsche Bank Championship, Ogilvy hasn't sniffed the top 10 since the Memorial Tournament. -- Mike McAllister
HEATH GETTING HOT (1:15 p.m.): Heath Slocum pretty much made his season with his win at The Barclays, the first event in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. His performance at Liberty National, where he finished at 9 under, is what secured his place here at East Lake and today Slocum is taking advantage with four birdies through his first eight holes. A bogey on the par-4 seventh was the lone blemish for Slocum, who has now moved up to a tie for ninth on the leaderboard four shots back. Should Slocum go on to win the tournament, he would capture the FedExCup trophy after entering this week fifth in the standings. -- Brian Wacker
MAJOR MOMENTUM (12:50 p.m.): Of the 15 twosomes that make up Friday's pairings, 11 include at least one major champion -- yet another indication of the strength of the field this week.
Three of the pairings include two major champions -- David Toms-Geoff Ogilvy, which went off first today; Mike Weir-Angel Cabrera, a former Masters champ and the current one; and Tiger Woods-Padraig Harrington, who have 17 major titles between them (14 from Tiger, of course). -- Mike McAllister
OGILVY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE (12:30 p.m.): Someone has to be in last place and that someone this week is Geoff Ogilvy. Unfortunately for Ogilvy, he might be in that position for a while. After shooting a 5-over 75 yesterday, Ogilvy isn't faring much better today, playing his first six holes in 3 over with three bogeys.
At this rate, Ogilvy is headed toward a stunning end to his season. A two-time winner on the PGA TOUR this year, Ogilvy came into THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola having played his last four tournaments in a combined 7 over -- and that includes a 14-under 270 total at the Deutsche Bank Championship, where he finished seventh. In fact, excluding his week in Boston, and dating back to the Memorial Tournament, Ogilvy has only broken 71 five times in 25 rounds.
And that, by the way, is exactly what people will point to when referring to Ogilvy's wild inconsistency. -- Brian Wacker
MICKELSON ON THE MOVE (12:08 p.m.): When Phil Mickelson finished off his round of 73 yesterday -- which included a quadruple-bogey 8 on the 14th hole -- he politely declined speaking with reporters by telling them they didn't need him because he was in last place.
Well, Mickelson wasn't quite in last place, and he is moving further away from it today thanks to a birdie on his opening hole. Mickelson followed that with a par on No. 2.
Still, Mickelson has some ground to make up if he wants to contend here this week. Right now, he's tied for 21st and though he won this event in 2000, Mickelson does have a somewhat spotty record here with five finishes of 20th or worse -- compared to just three top-10s. (Click here to follow Mickelson live with Shot Tracker.) -- Brian Wacker
FORECASTING ROUND 2 (11:55 a.m.): Of the 30 players competing at East Lake this week, here are the top five in second-round scoring average for 2009. -- Mike McAllister
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TIGER AND PADDY (11:47 p.m.): When Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington tee off in the penultimate group at 1:45 p.m. ET today, it will be the first time they've been paired together in the 2009 PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, but the eighth time overall this year in a TOUR event.
Of those previous seven times, Woods has gotten the better of Harrington six times.
When Woods and Harrington were paired together for the first two rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard earlier this year, it marked the first time they had been paired on TOUR in five years.
In their TOUR careers, Woods and Harrington have been paired for 11 rounds in stroke-play events, six of those coming in majors. They also faced off in the 2004 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, where Woods beat Harrington 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals en route to winning the tournament that year. Below is a look at the Woods-Harrington pairings through the years. -- Mike McAllister
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IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN ATLANTA ... FOR NOW (11:40 a.m.): East Lake is bathed in sun this morning as the second round of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola gets under way. Judging by the weather forecast, though, we'd better enjoy it while we can.
By 2 p.m. a chance of thunderstorms enters the picture and Saturday's forecast calls for a 90 percent chance of rain that will be heavy at times, particularly during the afternoon and evening.
The weather-maker appears to be two-fold. There is a back-door cold front that will enter the Carolinas today as another moves east from the Mississippi Valley. The storms that develop are expected to move slowly, but should clear out by Sunday morning.
The forecast for Sunday calls for a high of 80 and mostly sunny skies. -- Helen Ross
RESTED AND READY (11:30 a.m.): After playing seven out of eight weeks, you might think Sean O'Hair needed a little break from golf. He -- along with the 29 others in the field here at East Lake -- got it with a bye week following the BMW Championship. That didn't stop O'Hair from teeing it up, however.
"I played Aronimink, Kennett Country Club, I played Concord Country Club, and I think that was about it, yeah," said O'Hair, who lives just outside of Philadelphia. "I played six days in a row. I just felt like playing."
Instead of beating balls and working on his short game, though, O'Hair teed it up with some friends. And even though O'Hair lost some money along the way -- "I was giving them too many shots," he said -- it turned out to be the kind of R&R he needed.
A putting tip or two from Tiger Woods earlier this week didn't hurt, either. Now we'll see if O'Hair can hold his lead -- Woods, Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink are all just one shot back. In the three times O'Hair has held the 18-hole lead, he's never gone on to win, finishing as high as a tie for third at last year's RBC Canadian Open. In fact, neither of O'Hair's two wins have come when leading after any round.
The flip side to that? In the 22-year history of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, the first-round leader or co-leader has gone on to win 10 times. -- Brian Wacker
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