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Verizon Heritage
Match scheduled:
Start: 17-04-2010 from 19:00 until 22:00
Day 3 :: PGA Tour 2010 - Harbour Town Golf Links :: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA
A-List: Luke Donald finally returned to Harbour Town last year after a long layoff and finished second. When you consider the profile of Donald, a player who favors precision over power, that's no surprise. He should be in the hunt this week. … Scott Verplank isn't a bad play on a short week in the top group. He's made ten straight cuts here and the track plays to his skill set. … I'm on board with the upside of Bill Haas, but you can't use him here (four cuts and a T27). … Zach Johnson has cashed in 4-of-5 visits at the Verizon Heritage but there's just one deep run in there, a T6 three years back. Johnson's got a profile that works for target golf; he's 14th in tee accuracy, 35th in GIR and 51st in putting average. … Jason Dufner has made 8-of-9 cuts this season but he's yet to grab a six-figure check. Get some face time on a Sunday afternoon, then come back to me. … Picks: Donald, Johnson.
B-List: It's surprising that K.J. Choi hasn't made this a regular stop because this is the sort of track that fits his game (he came to Harbour Town in 2001, missed the cut, and hasn't been back since). His comeback in 2010 is very real and you can tell this is a man at peace with his game – he didn't bat an eyelash when paired with Tiger Woods for four straight weeks at Augusta. … It's basically a home game for Lucas Glover and he's got a solid enough track record at the Verizon Heritage (26, 7, cut, 12, 47, 16, cut). I'd feel a lot better about his chances if he weren't sitting 119th in driving accuracy and 104th in putting average.
Jim Furyk's got a strange hit-and-miss record at Harbour Town, working a fourth and two seconds around a pair of missed cuts in the last five years. His steady iron play and patient demeanor make him a perfect candidate for target golf. … Brian Gay steps in as the defending champ and he also ran T16 in 2007 and T9 in 2006. I've yet to spend a play on him, so this week looks like an automatic. … Aaron Baddeley won this tourney in 2006 and he's been sharp since(21, 2, 10) but his current form makes him just about unplayable. He hasn't cashed a check over 15K all year. … I hated Sergio Garcia's body language on the weekend at the Masters, and his last trip to Harbour Town came in 2001. None for me, thanks. … I guess you could use Charles Howell III if you felt in the mood (37, 12, cut, 19 in four trips). But I'm always a little nervous trusting him after the first quarter of the year. …
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — A grueling Masters finally caught up to K.J. Choi on Friday at the Verizon Heritage — and Jim Furyk, Charles Howell III and Greg Owen took advantage to top the second-round leaderboard in the PGA Tour event.
Furyk (68), Howell (67) and Owen (69) were tied at 7-under-par 135, a stroke ahead of a group that included two-time Verizon champion Boo Weekley (68) and Stuart Appleby (67).
Choi, who played alongside top-ranked Tiger Woods all four rounds at Augusta National, opened with a 64 Thursday at Harbour Town Golf Links. After a second-round 74, Choi was tied for 22nd place at 138.
"Yeah, the fatigue is setting in right now," said Choi, who tied for fourth with Woods on Sunday at the Masters. "But no excuses today. I had a tough time reading the greens."
Furyk didn't have Choi's problem entering this tournament. "I didn't play enough to get tired," he said of the Masters.
The world's sixth-ranked player missed the Masters' cut for the second time in 14 appearances. Furyk wasn't happy with the early exit. But instead of dwelling on it, he enjoyed what was left of Masters festivities.
He stayed late at a Friday-night party with friends and sponsors. He drove to Myrtle Beach with his wife, Tabitha, for a "Monday After the Masters" outing put on each year by Hootie and the Blowfish, including a concert by the group.
"Had a great time and met a bunch of great people," Furyk said. "I got my practice in but also blew off some steam and when I got here I was in a great frame of mind and ready to go to work."
That showed in the second round. Furyk stuck approach shots within 10 feet on the 13th and 15th holes for birdies. He caught Choi for the lead when he chipped in on No. 16.
Choi, starting on the back nine, drove out of bounds on No. 11 and put a tee shot in the water on No. 14, both for bogeys. He had a double-bogey 6 on No. 18.
Just barely.
The field of 132 golfers was cut at even par. Because 82 players made the cut, the field will be sliced to low 70 and ties after today’s third round.
Gay was at 1 under with two holes to play, but his tee shot at the par-3 17th plugged in the bunker, leading to a bogey, and his approach at No. 18 went off the back of the green and into the trap. He was able to save par on the final hole and managed to squeak his way into the third round.
