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Usual Suspects Share Lead At Innisbrook

Associated Press photo

Nick Watney drives from the 11th tee during the second round of the Transitions Championship golf tournament Friday at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor.

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By MICK ELLIOTT

melliott@tampatrib.com

Published: March 21, 2009

Updated: 03/21/2009 01:38 am

PALM HARBOR - A Transitions Championship promotion during Friday's second round of the PGA Tour event at Innisbrook Resort had actor Erik Estrada reviving the role of Francis "Ponch" Poncherello, the California Highway Patrol officer he played in the 1977-1983 television series "CHiPs."

Transitions Optical, the tournament's first-year sponsor, empowered Estrada - in full character and dress - to write "sight-ations," charging spectators with such violations as "Aggravated Visual Assault: Wearing Really Bad Glasses," or "Grand Theft Visual: Robbing Eyes of Healthy Sight," possibly even "Indecent Exposure ... Of Eyes to Harmful UV Rays."

If the host really wanted to be vision friendly, it might have handed out magnifying glasses. If any more names are squeezed onto the leaderboard, the type is going to be very, very small.

After 36 holes of play on the Copperhead course, Steve Stricker and Nick Watney share the lead at 6 under following rounds of 67. Fourteen more golfers are within three shots.

"This is a golf course that kind of scrunches the field a little bit because you are not going to see a guy shoot 62 on this course, especially with the wind being like this and the green a little firm," Joe Ogilvie said.

Ogilvie, whose 66 equaled the day's low round, is among eight golfers one shot back of the leaders. He is joined by former U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen (68), Jonathan Byrd (70), Troy Matteson (68), J.J. Henry (68), Charles Howell III (66), Tom Lehman (69) and Stuart Appleby (67). A group of five players is two shots back, including defending Masters champ Trevor Immelman.

Of the top 28 players on the leaderboard, only two are not past PGA Tour winners.

"It's a course you've got to feel comfortable on and have gone around it a few times," Stricker said. "Know where your chances are here and know when to fire it in the center of the green. It's just tough. The rough is up and it's a good driving course; you just have to be patient and pay attention."

On an almost perfect day for golf, the golf was almost perfect.

Both Stricker and Watney posted bogey-free rounds and hot hands got hotter.

Stricker's day extended a streak of 10 straight rounds in which he has shot under par and was his 17th in 21 rounds in red numbers. Watney is coming off a runner-up finish in last week's World Golf Championship event at Doral. A month earlier he won the Buick Invitational, the second victory of his five-year tour career.

"I don't know if it's a hot streak," Watney said. "I guess I'm playing very well, but it really seems like this is just what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm keeping the game pretty simple and putting well.

"So hopefully that will continue. It doesn't really seem like I'm unconscious or anything. It's just kind of the way I'm supposed to be playing."

Likewise, Stricker was unimpressed.

"I know that I've been playing well," the 15th-ranked player in the world said. "I know that I've been shooting some good scores, but no, I haven't paid attention to that.

"I look at my stats and I realize I was up there in the stroke average, that kind of stuff. So obviously I must have been shooting some decent scores."

The day wasn't as effortless for others.

Byrd was working on the day's best round, making six birdies through 11 holes to go 8 under for the tournament and lead by two, but he played the final seven 3 over with bogeys at 12, 13 and 18.

"Yeah, making six birdies out there today is pretty awesome," Byrd said. "Unfortunately I made some tough swings coming in and missed a few putts, but overall I'm playing fantastic and just hopefully it carries over into the weekend."

Jim Furyk's day was an even greater shift of momentum. After opening the tournament with a 65, the first-round leader need to two putt Friday from 32 feet for par on the 18th hole just to make the cut at 1 over. Thursday, Furyk had seven birdies and one bogey. Friday, he did not record a birdie and had five bogeys and a double at the par-3 17th for a 78.

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534.

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