Their was no column yesterday because their was no golf. After a rain soaked day in Silvis, Illinois on Friday, the powers at be called any potential for golf off a little after three. This set up a interesting, but not uncommon weekend scenario (Bethpage anyone?). The second round was completed on Saturday with the third and fourth expected to come on Sunday. While I expect it to be tight tomorrow, we're at a good point in the summer to play two rounds of golf in a day.
What hurt the U.S Open was that the rain came on day one. This pushed two pre-cut rounds back. This weekend, the tour only had to play one round before the trunks were slammed. It's simple mathematics. Less golfers= quicker golf.
The question now becomes how this effects the players still around, specifically those players looking to make a charge. Lets use blog favorite Kenny Perry as an example. Perry shot two consecutive 3-under, 68's and is seven shot behind the leader with thirty six holes to play. Normally this would be a difficult, but not impossible hill to climb. But I question whether the forty nine year old Perry has the endurance to make this charge in one day. Sure, he will have a bit of a break between rounds, but it still won't compare to having an entire night between rounds. I would bet that Perry would begin to feel the strain of an unorthodox day of golf a little before the final round turn. Even if he's two or three strokes back at this point, would he be able to put enough together to erase those final few strokes? I'm not sure.
On that same token, I expect the double shot of golf to help this week's leader, Darron Stiles. Stiles sits three strokes up on Steve Stricker at 13 under par. Stiles is not used to being on top. In fact, he's not used to playing past Friday. Prior to the John Deere, Stiles had made only one cut this season. That cut came in in the Zurich Classic. He finished tied for thirty fourth in that tournament. I'm always worried about guys who arn't used to meaningful Sunday golf. Even in a tournament sponsored by a tractor company, the Sunday atmosphere is different. Especially at the top. The fact that Stiles has two rounds to play with, instead of the normal one and done fare, could calm the usual Sunday storm a bit. As long as Stiles doesn't blow up on the front nine of his first round tomorrow, look for him to be ok...Also, with a three shot lead does give him a bit of a cushion.
What doesn't help the leader is that the player in hot pursuit of his lead is Steve Stricker. Already a winner this season (The Crowne Plaza), Stricker shot a course record 61 on Saturday to climb to second place. Stricker's record setting round included nine birdies, an eagle, and only one bogey. He eagled the par five 17th and birdied three of the last five holes. That means he came off the course hot. This may not necessarily translate into a good round tomorrow, but I wouldn't bet on him not being in contention for the duration of this marathon day. Record setting rounds usually lead to a good rest of the tournament. You don't play better than anyone in the history of the course because your off your game that week.
I expect Stricker and Stiles to be the only two real factors come the back nine of round four.
-Trunk Slammers: David Duval- Well, this was a disappointment. In his first start after his U.S Open "resurrection", Duval shot a second round sixty six. But it wasn't enough to erase his round one 75. So much for all the David Duval coming back from the dead talk. I have a theory though. Maybe David would have been wiser to make a start a little sooner after the Open. Almost everyone else has. Heck, champion Lucas Glover hasn't takes a week off.
Speaking of Glover, he came a shade above the cut. The cut was three under. A round two 70 pushed Glover to...three under.
- In other golf news, it was announced on Friday that Phil Mickleson will miss the British Open to care for him cancer-stricken wife. This is not big surprise. In fact, I'm a little surprised that the story was as big as it was. It lead golf story rundowns on Friday. Am I mistaken or didn't Phil not say that he would almost certainly skip the British at his U.S Open press conference? Did he leave the possibility ajar? Yes. But it was generally understood that the possibility of him playing was minuscule. I don't think we'll see Phil for the rest of the year. Nor should we. He's got bigger things to deal with right now...
Jordan Lauterbach
