Tour Report: Damage control keeps Vegas on top (PGATOUR.com)
September 30, 2011
Halleran/Getty ImagesJhonattan Vegas did just enough to keep himself tied for the lead for the second straight night.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
It wasn’t as spectacular as his 10-birdie opening round that placed him in a first-place tie on Thursday, but Jhonattan Vegas’s 4-under 67 Friday was enough to keep him tied for the lead after 36 holes at TPC Summerlin.
The round wasn’t without its struggles. Vegas hit his second shot into the water hazard short of the green on the par-5 16th and went on to bogey the easiest hole on the course. Four holes later, he thought that he’d hit his tee shot on the par-4 5th out of bounds, hit a provisional, but found his original ball in a hazard left of the fairway. After taking a drop, Vegas went on to bogey that hole, but he picked up two birdies down the stretch to join Kevin Na and Charlie Wi at 12 under.
“I literally didn’t really see where the ball ended up,” Vegas said. “I was just looking for it right there in the trees and thinking that I would have to hit my fifth shot from the right side and then one of the scorers found it way down there. Luckily it was my ball. How it got there, I have no clue, but it was one of those fortunate breaks that you get and when you’re playing well.”
Vegas hit two fewer greens and needed two more putts than he did in his opening round. He kept himself on top by limiting the damage on the two holes when things could have gotten away from him. An eagle from a greenside bunker on the drivable par-4 15th didn’t hurt matters, either.
“I felt like I putted really well today,” Vegas said. “My ball striking wasn’t as good as it was yesterday and that’s kind of why the round wasn’t as good as yesterday. But my putting’s been pretty well, which that’s kind of what I’ve worked for. And hopefully I can continue that for two more days and we’ll be right there where we are.”
The rookie won in his second start as a PGA TOUR member, at January’s Bob Hope Classic and continued his strong play through early March. He’s emerged from a mid-year drought where he missed six of seven cuts by making his last nine entering this week. None of those nine made cuts resulted in a top-30 finish, however.
Though this is his first time in contention since early in the season, Vegas just plans to stay the course over the weekend as he looks to become the second rookie to win twice in 2011.
“Same gameplan,” he said. “I feel like I’m playing great. Stay aggressive, try to keep making putts and we’ll see what happens.”
Watney quietly moving up the ranks
There has been a Nick Watney sighting in Las Vegas.
The highest-rated player in this week’s field (No. 3 on the money list) has been as under-the-radar as possible during the first two rounds in Las Vegas. His first-round 65 left him two shots out of the lead Thursday and, after starting 1-over through six holes, Watney has turned things around with tap-in birdies on the drivable par-4 14th and the par-5 15th to reach 3 under on his round.
Watney, Carl Pettersson and Boo Weekley are the top three on the course, all tied at 9 under, three shots off the pace. Six others on the course are at 8 under with opportunities to gain ground before the weekend in Vegas.
Herron putting experience to good use
In this year of the young gun, there’s still something to be said for experience.
Making his 13th start in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Childern Open, 41-year-old Tim Herron is 11 under through two rounds, just one shot off the pace. He’s one of just two 40-somethings among the 11 players at 10 under or better.
Herron
Herron attributes his early success at TPC Summerlin to his history at the course.
“I know it’s a shootout on the weekend, so I’m just hoping to keep rolling the putts,” he said. “Today I made a lot of 15, 20-footers. I know the greens pretty well, so I need to stay aggressive with the putting.”
Herron had a streak of three consecutive top-30 finishes at Summerlin snapped last year when he missed the cut after a pair of 71s. After a 65-66 start, his best first two rounds here since 2003, the four-time PGA TOUR winner is positioned to move up from No. 105 on the money list and secure his TOUR card for 2012.
Unlikely birdie sparks Na in Round 2
Halleran/Getty ImagesKevin Na birdied seven of his last 10 holes Friday to gain a share of the 36-hole lead.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
Kevin Na birdied seven of his last 10 holes Friday to reach 12 under and tie Jhonattan Vegas and Charlie Wi atop the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open leaderboard.
Na opened with four consecutive pars and seven in eight holes before stealing a shot at the par-5 ninth to jump-start his round.
“On 9 I was just thinking hit the fairway and get a chance at eagle and I hit it in the rough,” Na said. “Same spot I did yesterday. It’s the thickest part — thickest rough on the golf course. I had no shot, laid up. And I hit an 8-iron to about a foot and that’s where I think I got my round going.”
After that birdie, the Las Vegas resident’s confidence soared and he began attacking pins. Na kept his momentum going with a 1-foot, 7-inch birdie putt on No. 10 and went on to make six birdies on his back nine.
“I turned around and hit it to a foot on 10, and 12 I hit it like six feet and made it,” Na said. “Three-and-a-half feet, chipped from three and a half feet, made it; 10 feet, made it. Actually drivable par-4 is one I felt like I left one out there, and then obviously again on the par-5, chipped it to about four or five feet and made it.”
Na, making his first start since missing the cut at both The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship, posted his best round in 18 tries at TPC Summerlin with an 8-under 63.
“I got some good rest coming into this week,” he said. “I was just hoping to make some putts today because I was hitting the ball really well. Yesterday I hit it really well. I felt like I could have scored better, and today the only difference was I was making putts.”
Strong pro-am helps Wi to 36-hole lead
Halleran/Getty ImagesCharlie Wi is chasing his first top-10 finish since May.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
It’s been an awkward stretch for Charlie Wi.
This year, he fell short of qualifying for the BMW Championship — the third leg of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup — for the first time since 2007 and now he’s making his first appearance in this event since 2008.
Along with the scheduling changes, Wi got his week kick started during the Wednesday pro-am at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He carried that momentum into the tournament and is 12 under, tied with Jhonattan Vegas and Kevin Na for the lead, after 36 holes.
“I made nine birdies on Wednesday and everything felt really good,” Wi said. “I was able to carry that over. I know guys are pretty shy about playing well on Wednesdays, but score any time when you’re out there.”
Wi’s season has been marked by inconsistency, as well. Aside from his runner-up finish to David Toms at The Crowne Plaza Invitational, Wi has just three top-25 finishes in his other 22 starts this year.
“I’ve had a pretty up-and-down this year, and I want to go out with a bang, make sure my game is ready for next year,” Wi said. “And you know, I worked really hard the last three weeks, so I want to see how — I want to perform well the next three weeks, carry that into 2012.”
One thing constant the four-time PGA TOUR runner-up always carries with him is his putter. The flatstick, which has Wi rated 3rd on the TOUR in Strokes Gained – Putting, has been there again for Wi through the first two rounds at TPC Summerlin, where he is tied for the field lead with 14 birdies. His 26 putts-per-round average through two days has been key to his tying for the 36-hole lead.
“Golf is a funny game,” he said. “You could be playing well, but that doesn’t necessarily turn into a lot of birdies. I was able to make some putts out there, and I think people that are scoring well out there are the ones making putts.”
Back nine still Summerlin’s scoring nine
The back nine at TPC Summerlin played 1.5 strokes easier in relation to par than the front nine during the first round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. That average is skewing even more in the favor of the home nine Friday, at least with those posting the day’s best scores.
Six players have reached the clubhouse with scores of 6 under or better in their second rounds. Those players are a combined 30 under on the back nine and just 14 under on the front.
Trevor Immelman Is putting together a back nine that has him fitting right in.
With five consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 16, the 2008 Masters Champion has the best round of the afternoon to this point and is three shots out of the lead shared by Kevin Na, Charlie Wi and Jhonattan Vegas.
Immelman, who hasn’t notched a top-10 finish since the 2008 TOUR Championship, is now tied for 12th, and has 10 holes remaining in his second round.
Joining him at 5 under this afternoon is D.J. Trahan. Trahan entered the day at 1 over and had five birdies on the back nine at TPC Summerlin to move inside the current projected cut line.
Currently there are 11 players at 3 under or better in the afternoon wave. Of those 11, nine started their rounds on the back nine. Only Joe Ogilvie (-3 through 10) and Stephen Ames (-3 through 
are bucking the trend.
Early Round 1 leaders set to take course
Before Jhonattan Vegas, William McGirt, Hunter Haas and anyone else inside the current top 10 took the course Thursday, the guys listed below were your leaders. The majority of the 10 listed below are fighting for spots inside the top 125 on the money list.
Below are the players who posted scores of 65 or better in Round 1 that have afternoon tee times Friday. Track them all afternoon to see who can string together back-to-back good rounds at TPC Summerlin and regain their position near the top of the leaderboard.
PlayerMoneyrankScoreTee timeStartingholeShot TrackerNathan Green178th7 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followSteve Flesch122nd6 under2:39 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followMatt Jones121st6 under2:49 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followRod Pampling119th6 under2:49 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followHarrison Frazar64th6 under2:58 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followNick Watney3rd6 under2:58 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followDerek Lamely194th6 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followVaughn Taylor148th6 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followBlake Adams82nd6 under3:46 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followGarrett Willis141st6 under3:46 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to follow
Haas ties course record after 59 threat
Halleran/Getty ImagesA Vegas 59 wasn’t in the cards for Hunter Haas, but his 61 puts him into contention.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
A year after the PGA TOUR saw two 59s in one season, Hunter Haas threatened the number again at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Haas played his final four holes at even par Friday after getting to 10 under on the par-71 layout at TPC Summerlin. That number is where he would finish up, posting at 61 that ties Tag Ridings and Davis Love III for the course record.
It could have been so much more if not for a bogey on No. 6, his 15th hole of the day, that halted his momentum.
“I know I had a chance,” Haas said. “After I birdied the fourth or fifth hole, you know, at the par 3 I knew I had at least three good birdie opportunities coming in … And I screwed it up.”
After making the turn in 30, Haas started the front nine with four birdies on his first five holes. Standing in the middle of TPC Summerlin’s sixth fairway with a wedge in his hands, Haas was in position to attack for one of the two birdies he would need on the final four holes to shoot the sixth 59 in PGA TOUR history.
His wedge shot fell 34 yards short and right of the pin in the right rough, just his second missed green of the day. Then the pitch settled 18 feet from the pin. Two putts later, Haas had his first bogey of the day and his hopes of a 59 were all but dashed.
“The one bogey I had I was in the middle of the fairway,” he said. “It’s kind of like yesterday. I made two bogeys from the middle of the fairway with wedge in my hand, and that’s kind of disappointing. I did the same today. That’s three bogeys with a wedge in my hand (this week).”
Aside from the miss on No. 6, Haas’ ball striking on approach shots was nearly flawless on Friday. The 34-year-old Texan hit nine fairways in Round 2 and notched 16 greens in regulation.
“I’m still trying to tighten up my ball striking,” Haas said. “I hit a few errant shots, but there’s a lot of short irons out there on this golf course. If you drive your ball well, you’re probably going to have a lot of birdie opportunities.”
Haas was leaving himself great opportunities and converting. Of his nine second-round birdies, six came from inside 8 feet.
“I was burning (the edges) pretty good yesterday, but honestly, I just wasn’t happy with the way I hit my wedges, and I was a little frustrated,” Haas said. “But I hit probably three or four shots pretty close today, and I just felt good over the putts.”
Haas will the weekend at TPC Summerlin at least two shots off the pace, needing to continue striking the ball well to get to the top of the leaderboard. His best two-round stretch of the 2011 season up to this point came in Rounds 1 and 2 of the Viking Classic where he went 66-64 and went on to finish in a tie for 4th.
“We’ll see if I can go out and do what I did today (again) tomorrow,” Haas said. “And it was tough, but I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Lead continues to change hands
It started with Jhonattan Vegas and William McGirt. Then Brendan Steele surged ahead. Then Hunter Haas was briefly on top as he chased a 59.
Now Kevin Na, in the clubhouse after an 8-under 63, and Vegas, who tapped in for a birdie on No. 9 to complete a 67, are tied for the lead at 12 under. Joining them in the dozen-under club, but still on the course, is Charlie Wi. The South Korean is 5 under for the day and is about to tee off on the 444-yard par-4 18th.
If Wi can’t move ahead, maybe McGirt can. He’s at 10 under with four holes remaining in his second round. If neither Wi nor McGirt moves ahead, 12 under looks like it will be the number for at least a couple more hours.
Haas settles for 61, Na takes the lead
The PGA TOUR scoring record wasn’t in the cards for Hunter Haas on Friday in Las Vegas, but a share of the course record was.
Haas, who started his second round on No. 10, needed just two birdies over his final four holes Friday to become the sixth player in PGA TOUR history to reach the 59 mark. Unfortunately, he gave a shot away at TPC Summerlin’s par-4 6th hole. He rebounded with a birdie on No. 7 to get back to 10 under, but could not convert long putts on Nos. 8 (43-foot birdie try) and 9 (120-foot eagle attempt) to bring 59 back into the picture.
With his three-putt par on No. 9, Haas dropped to a 10-under 61, tying Tag Ridings (2004) and Davis Love III (2001) for the TPC Summerlin course record.
While Haas was making his final bid for a 59, Kevin Na birdied five of six holes to take a two-shot lead at 12 under. Na is playing the 18th at TPC Summerlin to close out his round.
Hunter Haasâ bid for a 59 took a major hit with a bogey on TPC Summerlinâs par-4 6th hole. In ideal position, 153 yards from the pin after his tee shot, Haas missed the green short and right. From the rough, he pitched up to just inside 18 feet and just missed the long par-saver. […]
Pavin takes 1st-round lead in SAS
September 30, 2011
CARY, N.C. (AP)—Corey Pavin shot a 7-under 65 on Friday to take aone-stroke lead in the opening round of the SAS Championship.
“I obviously got off to a good start, played the front nine very well,”said Pavin, who birdied six holes on the front side. “I think I had 10 putts onthe front nine … and I hit the ball well.”
Nick Price, Gary Hallberg, Kenny Perry and defending champion Russ Cochranwere tied for second at the Champions Tour event held at the 7,137-yardPrestonwood Country Club.
Price, who won the Toshiba Classic in March, has struggled in the past twomonths. He said he finally noticed an unconscious change in his backswing thatcaused him to shorten his swing.
“This is, after literally six really poor tournaments, the thing that Iworked the hardest on the last two years, I just neglected,” Price said. “It’sbeen very frustrating.
“But today was the best I’ve played since May, June, ball-striking-wise.All in all, it was an `A’ day for me, a really good day.”
Pavin said he also made a swing change this week after talking to (swingcoach) Greg LaBelle, who made suggestions to Pavin after watching his swing viaemail.
“I worked on it the last couple of days, and I made some changes,” Pavinsaid. “I really felt a lot more comfortable on the golf course today than Ihave in a long time.
“I did some work on my putter as well, and that was better.”
J.L. Lewis, Peter Senior, Jeff Sluman and Rod Spittle all shot 67.
Tom Lehman, who leads the race for the Charles Schwab Cup and its $1 millionpayday, was among a group tied at 3-under. Lehman is trying to become the firstgolfer to ever win player of the year honors on the Nationwide, PGA andChampions tours.
Play was delayed in the afternoon for 2 hours, 14 minutes when athunderstorm moved through the area.
Fisher: Latest labor talks ‘engaging’
September 30, 2011
NEW YORK (AP)—NBA players and owners are done talking for the day and planto resume bargaining Saturday.
With time running out to reach a labor deal that saves the Nov. 1 start ofthe season, LeBron James(notes), Carmelo Anthony(notes), Kevin Durant(notes) and other NBA stars tookpart in a four-hour session Friday in New York.
New York Knicks ' Carmelo … AP – Sep 30, 1:01 pm EDT Miami Heat 's LeBron James… AP – Sep 30, 12:52 pm EDT 1 of 2 NBA Gallery
Derek Fisher(notes), president of the players’ association, characterized the talksas “engaging.” When asked whether a deal could be done this weekend, he said:“I can’t answer that.”
Derek Fisher fears the NBA season won't start on time after the latest setback in labor negotiations.(AP)
Commissioner David Stern says “both sides expressed a willingness to make adeal” and again insisted that once regular season games are lost, the positionson both sides will harden.
Owners locked out players on July 1, and the sides continue to spar over thedivision of revenues and salary cap system.
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Second-round tee times for SAS Championship (PGATOUR.com)
September 30, 2011
Second-round times. All times are local.
SAS Championship Tee #2TimePlayers10:20 amChien Soon LuTom JenkinsGary Koch10:29 amSteve LoweryDavid EgerMark Wiebe10:39 amTom PurtzerMark BrooksTommy Armour III10:48 amScott HochDavid FrostWayne Levi10:58 amDana QuigleyTed SchulzDan Forsman11:07 amTim SimpsonCraig StadlerJoey Sindelar11:17 amRonnie BlackBob GilderFulton Allem11:26 amTom LehmanBobby WadkinsJohn Huston11:36 amMorris HatalskyScott SimpsonChip Beck11:45 amFred CouplesOlin BrowneBobby Clampett11:55 amHal SuttonSteve JonesJay Don Blake12:04 pmPeter SeniorRod SpittleJeff Sluman12:14 pmKenny PerryGary HallbergJ.L. Lewis12:23 pmCorey PavinNick PriceRuss Cochran10:20 amVicente FernandezJohn HarrisJoe Ozaki10:29 amBrad FaxonTom KiteHale Irwin10:39 amD.A. WeibringLarry MizeLarry Nelson10:48 amJim RutledgeJoe DaleyJim Gallagher, Jr.10:58 amJim ThorpeMike ReidBernhard Langer11:07 amLonnie NielsenEduardo RomeroMark Calcavecchia11:17 amBruce FleisherPeter JacobsenFuzzy Zoeller11:26 amLoren RobertsAllen DoyleKeith Fergus11:36 amDave RummellsDoug TewellBill Glasson11:45 amJohn CookPhil BlackmarSteve Pate11:55 amDavid PeoplesCurtis StrangeMike Goodes12:04 pmMark McNultyGil Morgan12:14 pmBob TwayBen Crenshaw
Halladay leads Phillies into NLDS opener
September 30, 2011
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Roy Halladay(notes) came to Philadelphia to pitch in October,knowing the regular season was a necessary formality.
Halladay’s first trip to the postseason was quite a memorable one, though itended in bitter disappointment. The two-time Cy Young Award winner, histeammates and just about everyone else in Philadelphia expects the Phillies towin the World Series this time around.
First, they have to beat the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals in the NL divisionseries. Game 1 is Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, with Halladay opposing KyleLohse(notes).
“We were anxious in spring training,” Halladay said Friday. “I know youplay 162 games and you get to this point. This is the fun part. We’re lookingforward to it. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win a World Series, but we’vedone a lot of great things this year, and we have a great team.
“I think to a man in that clubhouse, there’s not a guy who would tell youthat he would not be disappointed if we didn’t win it all.”
The teams took different paths to get here.
Led by their Four Aces, the Phillies cruised to their fifth straight NL Easttitle, winning a franchise-record and major league-best 102 games.
The Cardinals needed an incredible collapse by Atlanta and help fromPhiladelphia to earn the wild card. St. Louis trailed the Braves by 10 1/2 games onAug. 25, but went 23-8 the rest of the way and got in after Game 162 when thePhillies completed a three-game sweep of Atlanta.
“They are very good,” Phils manager Charlie Manuel said. “They’re playinggood, especially the last two or three weeks, and without a doubt, we’ve got ourwork cut out. Three out of five is a short series, and for us to be playing themat this time, we’ve got to play good baseball.”
Halladay also praised the Cardinals, calling them a “dangerous” team. Butthe big right-hander borrowed a line from William Shakespeare to make it clearhe’s not intimidated by Albert Pujols(notes) or the rest of St. Louis’ potent offense.
“I heard a quote a long time ago: ‘I came here to bury Caesar, not praisehim,”’ Halladay said. “I think it’s true. We’re all aware of how good the teamis. We obviously have respect for what they’ve done and how they’ve played, butyou have to be confident going in that you’re going to be able to beat them.”
Halladay got his first taste of the postseason last October after spending12 years in Toronto looking up at the Yankees and Red Sox in the standings. Hisdebut was one for the ages. Halladay threw the second no-hitter in postseasonhistory in Philadelphia’s 4-0 victory over Cincinnati in Game 1 of the 2010NLDS.
But Halladay lost to Tim Lincecum(notes) in the opener of the NL championshipseries and the Phillies were eliminated in six games by the San FranciscoGiants, falling two wins short of a third consecutive pennant. That won’t beacceptable in this all-or-nothing season.
“I don’t really see a lot of the extra pressure,” Halladay said. “I thinkthat everybody expects of us what we expect of ourselves.”
The Cardinals (90-72) won six of nine against Philadelphia during theseason, with two of those wins coming right after the Phillies wrapped up thedivision.
Players from both teams realize that regular-season success doesn’t meanmuch in the playoffs.
“It’s not going to be the same,” Cardinals slugger Lance Berkman(notes) said. “Alot is going to be made of the fact that we played pretty well against thePhillies this year, but with the playoffs all around it’s a different story. Wejust have to come out and try to be the team that we’ve been over the last monththis year. If we do, we have a chance.”
While oddsmakers list the Phillies as 3-1 favorites, the Cardinals don’tconsider themselves underdogs.
“We’re facing a tough group over there that had the best record inbaseball,” said Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, who will start Game 2 on threedays’ rest. “They’ve got some really good starting pitching, a tough park toplay in with their fans, but we’re gonna give it our best effort and go aheadand get it. Anything can happen. I don’t think there’s a favorite anywhere.”
The Phillies enter the postseason with all of their regulars, and a new-looklineup that was 4-0 after an eight-game losing streak. Chase Utley(notes), the longtimeNo. 3 hitter, now bats second behind Jimmy Rollins(notes). Hunter Pence(notes), who will makehis postseason debut, hits third ahead of Ryan Howard(notes). Shane Victorino(notes), RaulIbanez(notes), Placido Polanco(notes) and Carlos Ruiz(notes) round out a lineup that has more balancetop-to-bottom than any of the previous ones.
The Cardinals are banged up heading in, though it appears shortstop RafaelFurcal(notes) (hamstring) and left fielder Matt Holliday(notes) (hand) will be on the rosterwhen it’s submitted to the league Saturday morning.
Tour Report: Herron putting experience to good use (PGATOUR.com)
September 30, 2011
In this year of the young gun, there’s still something to be said for experience.
Making his 13th start in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Childern Open, 41-year-old Tim Herron is 11 under through two rounds, just one shot off the pace. He’s one of just two 40-somethings among the 11 players at 10 under or better.
Herron
Herron attributes his early success at TPC Summerlin to his history at the course.
“I know it’s a shootout on the weekend, so I’m just hoping to keep rolling the putts,” he said. “Today I made a lot of 15, 20-footers. I know the greens pretty well, so I need to stay aggressive with the putting.”
Herron had a streak of three consecutive top-30 finishes at Summerlin snapped last year when he missed the cut after a pair of 71s. After a 65-66 start, his best first two rounds here since 2003, the four-time PGA TOUR winner is positioned to move up from No. 105 on the money list and secure his TOUR card for 2012.
Unlikely birdie sparks Na in Round 2
Halleran/Getty ImagesKevin Na birdied seven of his last 10 holes Friday to gain a share of the 36-hole lead.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
Kevin Na birdied seven of his last 10 holes Friday to reach 12 under and tie Jhonattan Vegas and Charlie Wi atop the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open leaderboard.
Na opened with four consecutive pars and seven in eight holes before stealing a shot at the par-5 ninth to jump-start his round.
“On 9 I was just thinking hit the fairway and get a chance at eagle and I hit it in the rough,” Na said. “Same spot I did yesterday. It’s the thickest part — thickest rough on the golf course. I had no shot, laid up. And I hit an 8-iron to about a foot and that’s where I think I got my round going.”
After that birdie, the Las Vegas resident’s confidence soared and he began attacking pins. Na kept his momentum going with a 1-foot, 7-inch birdie putt on No. 10 and went on to make six birdies on his back nine.
“I turned around and hit it to a foot on 10, and 12 I hit it like six feet and made it,” Na said. “Three-and-a-half feet, chipped from three and a half feet, made it; 10 feet, made it. Actually drivable par-4 is one I felt like I left one out there, and then obviously again on the par-5, chipped it to about four or five feet and made it.”
Na, making his first start since missing the cut at both The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship, posted his best round in 18 tries at TPC Summerlin with an 8-under 63.
“I got some good rest coming into this week,” he said. “I was just hoping to make some putts today because I was hitting the ball really well. Yesterday I hit it really well. I felt like I could have scored better, and today the only difference was I was making putts.”
Strong pro-am helps Wi to 36-hole lead
Halleran/Getty ImagesCharlie Wi is chasing his first top-10 finish since May.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
It’s been an awkward stretch for Charlie Wi.
This year, he fell short of qualifying for the BMW Championship — the third leg of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup — for the first time since 2007 and now he’s making his first appearance in this event since 2008.
Along with the scheduling changes, Wi got his week kick started during the Wednesday pro-am at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He carried that momentum into the tournament and is 12 under, tied with Jhonattan Vegas and Kevin Na for the lead, after 36 holes.
“I made nine birdies on Wednesday and everything felt really good,” Wi said. “I was able to carry that over. I know guys are pretty shy about playing well on Wednesdays, but score any time when you’re out there.”
Wi’s season has been marked by inconsistency, as well. Aside from his runner-up finish to David Toms at The Crowne Plaza Invitational, Wi has just three top-25 finishes in his other 22 starts this year.
“I’ve had a pretty up-and-down this year, and I want to go out with a bang, make sure my game is ready for next year,” Wi said. “And you know, I worked really hard the last three weeks, so I want to see how — I want to perform well the next three weeks, carry that into 2012.”
One thing constant the four-time PGA TOUR runner-up always carries with him is his putter. The flatstick, which has Wi rated 3rd on the TOUR in Strokes Gained – Putting, has been there again for Wi through the first two rounds at TPC Summerlin, where he is tied for the field lead with 14 birdies. His 26 putts-per-round average through two days has been key to his tying for the 36-hole lead.
“Golf is a funny game,” he said. “You could be playing well, but that doesn’t necessarily turn into a lot of birdies. I was able to make some putts out there, and I think people that are scoring well out there are the ones making putts.”
Back nine still Summerlin’s scoring nine
The back nine at TPC Summerlin played 1.5 strokes easier in relation to par than the front nine during the first round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. That average is skewing even more in the favor of the home nine Friday, at least with those posting the day’s best scores.
Six players have reached the clubhouse with scores of 6 under or better in their second rounds. Those players are a combined 30 under on the back nine and just 14 under on the front.
Trevor Immelman Is putting together a back nine that has him fitting right in.
With five consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 16, the 2008 Masters Champion has the best round of the afternoon to this point and is three shots out of the lead shared by Kevin Na, Charlie Wi and Jhonattan Vegas.
Immelman, who hasn’t notched a top-10 finish since the 2008 TOUR Championship, is now tied for 12th, and has 10 holes remaining in his second round.
Joining him at 5 under this afternoon is D.J. Trahan. Trahan entered the day at 1 over and had five birdies on the back nine at TPC Summerlin to move inside the current projected cut line.
Currently there are 11 players at 3 under or better in the afternoon wave. Of those 11, nine started their rounds on the back nine. Only Joe Ogilvie (-3 through 10) and Stephen Ames (-3 through are bucking the trend.
Early Round 1 leaders set to take course
Before Jhonattan Vegas, William McGirt, Hunter Haas and anyone else inside the current top 10 took the course Thursday, the guys listed below were your leaders. The majority of the 10 listed below are fighting for spots inside the top 125 on the money list.
Below are the players who posted scores of 65 or better in Round 1 that have afternoon tee times Friday. Track them all afternoon to see who can string together back-to-back good rounds at TPC Summerlin and regain their position near the top of the leaderboard.
PlayerMoneyrankScoreTee timeStartingholeShot TrackerNathan Green178th7 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followSteve Flesch122nd6 under2:39 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followMatt Jones121st6 under2:49 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followRod Pampling119th6 under2:49 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followHarrison Frazar64th6 under2:58 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followNick Watney3rd6 under2:58 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followDerek Lamely194th6 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followVaughn Taylor148th6 under3:17 p.m. ETNo. 1Click to followBlake Adams82nd6 under3:46 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to followGarrett Willis141st6 under3:46 p.m. ETNo. 10Click to follow
Haas ties course record after 59 threat
Halleran/Getty ImagesA Vegas 59 wasn’t in the cards for Hunter Haas, but his 61 puts him into contention.
By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM
A year after the PGA TOUR saw two 59s in one season, Hunter Haas threatened the number again at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Haas played his final four holes at even par Friday after getting to 10 under on the par-71 layout at TPC Summerlin. That number is where he would finish up, posting at 61 that ties Tag Ridings and Davis Love III for the course record.
It could have been so much more if not for a bogey on No. 6, his 15th hole of the day, that halted his momentum.
“I know I had a chance,” Haas said. “After I birdied the fourth or fifth hole, you know, at the par 3 I knew I had at least three good birdie opportunities coming in … And I screwed it up.”
After making the turn in 30, Haas started the front nine with four birdies on his first five holes. Standing in the middle of TPC Summerlin’s sixth fairway with a wedge in his hands, Haas was in position to attack for one of the two birdies he would need on the final four holes to shoot the sixth 59 in PGA TOUR history.
His wedge shot fell 34 yards short and right of the pin in the right rough, just his second missed green of the day. Then the pitch settled 18 feet from the pin. Two putts later, Haas had his first bogey of the day and his hopes of a 59 were all but dashed.
“The one bogey I had I was in the middle of the fairway,” he said. “It’s kind of like yesterday. I made two bogeys from the middle of the fairway with wedge in my hand, and that’s kind of disappointing. I did the same today. That’s three bogeys with a wedge in my hand (this week).”
Aside from the miss on No. 6, Haas’ ball striking on approach shots was nearly flawless on Friday. The 34-year-old Texan hit nine fairways in Round 2 and notched 16 greens in regulation.
“I’m still trying to tighten up my ball striking,” Haas said. “I hit a few errant shots, but there’s a lot of short irons out there on this golf course. If you drive your ball well, you’re probably going to have a lot of birdie opportunities.”
Haas was leaving himself great opportunities and converting. Of his nine second-round birdies, six came from inside 8 feet.
“I was burning (the edges) pretty good yesterday, but honestly, I just wasn’t happy with the way I hit my wedges, and I was a little frustrated,” Haas said. “But I hit probably three or four shots pretty close today, and I just felt good over the putts.”
Haas will the weekend at TPC Summerlin at least two shots off the pace, needing to continue striking the ball well to get to the top of the leaderboard. His best two-round stretch of the 2011 season up to this point came in Rounds 1 and 2 of the Viking Classic where he went 66-64 and went on to finish in a tie for 4th.
“We’ll see if I can go out and do what I did today (again) tomorrow,” Haas said. “And it was tough, but I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
Lead continues to change hands
It started with Jhonattan Vegas and William McGirt. Then Brendan Steele surged ahead. Then Hunter Haas was briefly on top as he chased a 59.
Now Kevin Na, in the clubhouse after an 8-under 63, and Vegas, who tapped in for a birdie on No. 9 to complete a 67, are tied for the lead at 12 under. Joining them in the dozen-under club, but still on the course, is Charlie Wi. The South Korean is 5 under for the day and is about to tee off on the 444-yard par-4 18th.
If Wi can’t move ahead, maybe McGirt can. He’s at 10 under with four holes remaining in his second round. If neither Wi nor McGirt moves ahead, 12 under looks like it will be the number for at least a couple more hours.
Haas settles for 61, Na takes the lead
The PGA TOUR scoring record wasn’t in the cards for Hunter Haas on Friday in Las Vegas, but a share of the course record was.
Haas, who started his second round on No. 10, needed just two birdies over his final four holes Friday to become the sixth player in PGA TOUR history to reach the 59 mark. Unfortunately, he gave a shot away at TPC Summerlin’s par-4 6th hole. He rebounded with a birdie on No. 7 to get back to 10 under, but could not convert long putts on Nos. 8 (43-foot birdie try) and 9 (120-foot eagle attempt) to bring 59 back into the picture.
With his three-putt par on No. 9, Haas dropped to a 10-under 61, tying Tag Ridings (2004) and Davis Love III (2001) for the TPC Summerlin course record.
While Haas was making his final bid for a 59, Kevin Na birdied five of six holes to take a two-shot lead at 12 under. Na is playing the 18th at TPC Summerlin to close out his round.
Update: Haas bogeys No. 6, birdies No. 7
Hunter Haas’ bid for a 59 took a major hit with a bogey on TPC Summerlin’s par-4 6th hole.
In ideal position, 153 yards from the pin after his tee shot, Haas missed the green short and right. From the rough, he pitched up to just inside 18 feet and just missed the long par-saver.
Haas’ 59 hopes didn’t go by the wayside with the bogey, though. He rebounded with a birdie on No. 7 and is back to 10 under with two holes remaining.
Haas heads to the tee on the par-3 8th, needing to go 2 under on his final two holes today for a piece of history.
Haas, who was even in his opening round, is at 10 under for the week and tied atop a crowded leaderboard with Kevin Na, Brendan Steele, Jhonattan Vegas, Tim Herron and William McGirt.
Click here to track Haas live, shot-by-shot
Haas chasing a 59 at TPC Summerlin
The 59 watch is officially on at TPC Summerlin.
Hunter Haas is 10 under through 14 holes today in Las Vegas and in position to become the sixth player in PGA TOUR history to shoot 59 — or possibly the first to best it.
TPC Summerlin is a par-71 layout, meaning 2 under over the last four holes (and 12 under total) would be enough to reach the milestone number.
Ahead of Haas are par 4s at Nos. 6 (430 yards) and 7 (382 yards), the 239-yard par-3 8th and the 563-yard par-5 9th. No. 8 played as the second-toughest hole on the course, with just five birdies and 30 bogeys posted in Thursday’s opening round. The par-5 9th was the second easiest in Round 1, surrendering 61 birdies and nine eagles.
Click here to track Haas live, shot-by-shot
In this year of the young gun, thereâs still something to be said for experience. Making his 13th start in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Childern Open, 41-year-old Tim Herron is 11 under through two rounds, just one shot off the pace. Heâs one of just two 40-somethings among the 11 players at 10 […]
Greinke to start Game 2 on 3 days’ rest
September 30, 2011
MILWAUKEE (AP)—The Milwaukee Brewers will start Zack Greinke(notes) in Sunday’sGame 2 of the NL division series.
Greinke will be pitching on three days’ rest for the second straight turn.
With the Brewers trying to nail down home-field advantage in the first roundof the playoffs, Greinke pitched six innings and got the win in Wednesday’sseason finale against Pittsburgh. Greinke’s previous start came Sept. 24 againstFlorida.
The decision to start Greinke on short rest allows Milwaukee to start ShaunMarcum(notes) in Game 3 at Arizona. Marcum was 5-4 with a 4.81 ERA at home and 8-3 witha 2.21 ERA on the road this season.
Greinke, meanwhile, was 11-0 with a 3.13 ERA in 15 starts at home thisseason.
“I think those two guys, they’ve been great for us all year,” said YovaniGallardo(notes), who will pitch Saturday’s Game 1. “They’ve been doing a great job.They did a great job, and, of course, we all know what they’re capable of doing.You guys seen it for yourself. And not only them, I think also with Randy Wolf(notes)and (Chris) Narveson and they stepped up in certain situations. We pick eachother up, which made us get here.”
Milwaukee’s Game 4 options would include starting Wolf or bringing backGallardo on short rest—potentially giving Greinke a second start at home inGame 5.
Francona out as Red Sox manager
September 30, 2011
BOSTON (AP)—The Terry Francona era is over in Boston.
In a joint statement released on Friday, the Red Sox announced they will notpick up the option on Francona’s contract in the wake of the team’s Septembercollapse.
Owners John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino acknowledged a change wasneeded, and thanked Francona, who led the franchise to two world titles. But thestatement also mentioned that Francona was also ready to head in a differentdirection.
“Tito said that after eight years here he was frustrated by his difficultymaking an impact with the players, that a different voice was needed, and thatit was time for him to move on,” the statement said. “After taking time toreflect on Tito’s sentiments, we agreed that it was best for the Red Sox not toexercise the option years on his contract.”
The press release ended a whirlwind day at Fenway Park that saw all of theprinciple parties shuttle in and out of the facility several times. Francona wasin the building three different times.
Boston missed the playoffs despite leading the AL wild-card race by ninegames on Sept. 4. It went 6-18 after that, ending with a 4-3 loss Wednesday inBaltimore. The Red Sox did not win consecutive games all month.
“We have enormous respect, admiration and appreciation for Tito and the jobthat he did for eight years, including two World Series championship seasons andfive playoff appearances,” the statement read. “His poise during the 2004postseason was a key factor in the greatest comeback in baseball history, andhis place in Red Sox history will never be forgotten.
“We wish him only the best going forward.”
General manager Theo Epstein released a statement earlier in the day, sayingthe club had not yet made a decision on Francona’s future. But he later revisedhis thoughts.
“Nobody at the Red Sox blames Tito for what happened at the end of thisseason; we own that as an organization. This year was certainly a difficult anddraining one for him and for us,” Epstein said. “Ultimately, he decided thatthere were certain things that needed to be done that he couldn’t do after eightyears here, and that this team would benefit from hearing a new voice.
“While this may be true, his next team will benefit more than it knows fromhearing Tito’s voice. I will miss seeing Tito every day in the manager’s office,and I wish him and his family nothing but the best in their next chapter.”
The Red Sox failed to make the postseason in Francona’s final two seasons.
“We met this morning to look back on the 2011 season and to consider thefuture of the Boston Red Sox, including my involvement with the club. I passedalong my frustrations at my inability to effectively reach the players. Aftermany conversations and much consideration, I ultimately felt that, out ofrespect to this team, it was time for me to move on,” Francona said.
“I’ve always maintained that it is not only the right, but the obligation,of ownership to have the right person doing this job. I told them that out of myenormous respect for this organization and the people in it, they may need tofind a different voice to lead the team.”
The decision came as both of the American League Division Series were set tobegin. So, obviously, the Red Sox were a hot pregame topic in Texas and NewYork.
“I know how well liked he is by his players and that city and in baseballin general. He’s a great guy; he’s not just a good guy,” Tampa Bay manager JoeMaddon said. “It’s not easy.”
Maddon’s Rays, and Joe Girardi’s Yankees both made the postseason out of thesame division as Boston.
“These jobs are precious, there’s no doubt about it. There’s expectations.A lot of times they’re extremely high expectations when you’re in certaintowns,” Girardi said. “We understand that when we take the job. Highexpectations are better than no expectations. You do enjoy it and you enjoy yourtime when you’re there.
“Tito has done a great job there.”
The Red Sox went 744-552 under Francona, and 8-0 in World Series games underhim, sweeping the Cardinals and Rockies. He became the first manager to win hisfirst six World Series games.
Racing back to Kentucky after traffic nightmares
September 30, 2011
SPARTA, Ky. (AP)—It would be fair to call the inaugural Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway a debacle.
That description makes general manager Mark Simendinger wince.
But he doesn’t deny there’s little room to soften just how bad things were on July 9.
“The fact is, we blew it,” Simendinger said Friday.
After waiting 10 years to land a coveted Sprint Cup race, the entire region eagerly anticipated what was supposed to be a spectacular Saturday night debut at a facility new track owner Bruton Smith spent millions on to make it a worthy host to one of NASCAR’s premier events.
But as the 107,000-plus fans approached speedway property, officials quickly realized there wasn’t enough parking and the access roads couldn’t adequately handle the crush. The result was a traffic jam that stretched for miles and lasted so long, many fans never even made it to the speedway.
Speedway Motorsports Inc., the company that owns the track, went to work in the days after the race to fix the issues and Kentucky Speedway gets its first chance to redeem itself since this weekend. NASCAR’s Trucks Series races Saturday night at the speedway, and the IndyCar Series runs Sunday.
The crowds will be a fraction of what descended on the speedway in July, and temperatures expected to hover in the 50s all weekend will likely discourage much of a walk-up crowd. But Simendinger and his Kentucky staff are determined to prove at every chance possible that there will never be a repeat of what happened 2 1/2 months ago.
“We had a bunch of disaffected and disappointed customers, and that’s a major, major problem,” Simendinger said. “There are a lot of ways to fix that, but the reality is the only remedy that would satisfy many people is if I could go back and get them out of traffic. I can’t do that, so the job now is to convince people to come back and to trust us that we can handle the kind of crowds this place is built for.
“I want everyone to come back and see that we are making it better.”
Two days after the traffic jam, SMI offered a ticket exchange to anyone who missed the Cup race. The unused Kentucky tickets could be used for entry into any events at SMI tracks this season, or swapped for entry into the 2012 race at Kentucky.
That was just the beginning, though, as the real work began in earnest behind the scenes. Smith and his SMI group had to negotiate with state and local officials for road improvements, while Simendinger had to find remedies in and around the speedway.
Within six weeks, an estimated $11 million in improvements were announced.
SMI began by acquiring a 143-acre parcel of land surrounding the speedway that will be converted into parking for more than 10,000 cars. The company also pledged to convert all grass-covered lots to gravel, and painting guidelines to maximize the spaces. Simendinger said the speedway has replaced the parking company it used with a new contractor that has experience at NASCAR tracks Daytona, Pocono and Watkins Glen.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet promised its own $3.6 million worth of enhancements to avoid another disastrous situation.
The exit ramp off of Interstate 71 that feeds into the speedway will be widened to three lanes, and the road outside the speedway will be widened to five lanes—plus two shoulders—to give it seven full lanes on race day. The state will also pay for an underground pedestrian tunnel beneath Highway 35 to transport fans from the new parking lot to the speedway gates.
SMI president Marcus Smith said the company was “overkilling it” to prove to fans Kentucky will be what many had expected for their inaugural race.
“This weekend is certainly our chance to roll out a red carpet and show people that Kentucky is a great facility,” Smith said. “But we know most of that really comes next year when we prove that a Cup event at Kentucky can be successful. The people who came to the inaugural race will see the improvements, tremendous improvements, and see that we can do this right.”
Braves reverse course, axe hitting coach
September 30, 2011
ATLANTA (AP)—The Atlanta Braves are shaking things up after a Septemberflop cost them a second straight trip to the playoffs.
The first change came Friday: hitting coach Larry Parrish was fired afteronly one season. The timing of the announcement was a surprise, coming one dayafter manager Fredi Gonzalez said his entire staff would return in 2012.
As it turns out, everyone is returning but Parrish, who was dumped eventhough he had another season left on his two-year contract. Several hittersregressed noticeably under his tutelage, and the Braves finished 13th in the NLin batting (.243) and 10th in runs.
Braves general manager Frank Wren also said it’s not certain that Derek Lowe(notes)will have a spot in the rotation next season, even though the team still oweshim $15 million on the final year of his contract.
The 38-year-old right-hander had a miserable season, going 9-17 with a 5.05ERA.
On a similar note, Wren said right fielder Jason Heyward(notes) will have to fightto keep his job in spring training after hitting just .227 with 14 homers and 42RBIs.
The firing of Parrish wasn’t necessarily unexpected, but the way it washandled reflected an apparent breakdown in communication between Gonzalez andWren.
The general manager said “we couldn’t go forward with 2012 withoutchanges,” including a new hitting coach. Wren promised “an exhaustive search”for Parrish’s replacement.
“I felt we weren’t on the same page philosophically,” Wren said. “I’m notsure the message got through to the players.”
The Braves’ lack of offense was a big problem all year, and really came tothe forefront in September as the Braves squandered an 8 1/2 -game lead. Atlantaaveraged just over three runs a game and hit under .200 with runners in scoringposition over the final month.
More troubling, several players dropped off considerably from the previousseason, including 2010 All-Stars Heyward and Martin Prado(notes) (from .307 to .260).
Heyward homered in his first career at-bat and finished second in the NLRookie of the Year balloting as a 21-year-old, hitting .277 with 18 homers and a.393 on-base percentage. His on-base percentage plunged to .319 this season, andhe struggled to make adjustments the Braves feel are critical to his long-termsuccess.
Now, instead of being the future of the franchise, he’s not even guaranteeda starting job next season.
“He’s going to be in a battle. It’s not a given he’s our right fielder,”Wren said. “He’s a young guy with a lot of potential. General managers saypotential is good, but we need production.”
Wren, however, did stress that there’s been no discussions about tradingHeyward.
Lowe will be in a similar position next spring. The Braves have an abundanceof talented young pitchers and won’t show nearly as much patience as they didthis year, when Lowe made every scheduled start even though he never sorted outa breakdown in mechanics. He lost all five of his September starts, a majorculprit in the Braves giving away a seemingly comfortable lead in the wild-cardrace.
“It’s hard to project him as one of our starters at this point,” Wrensaid.
The Braves had held at least a share of the wild-card lead since June 9until falling behind on the final day of the season with a 13-inning loss toPhiladelphia, according to STATS LLC. Atlanta went 9-18 in September andfinished one game behind St. Louis.
Associated Press freelance writer Amy Jinkner-Lloyd contributed to thisreport.
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