Watson leads by one over Teater
AVONDALE, La. – Bubba Watson took the 36-hole lead at the Zurich Classic New Orleans after going 66-68—134 and leads by one over second-year player Josh Teater. Watson is performing well on a course that he believes doesn’t fit his eye.“I just made some putts,” Watson said of his second round 68. “That was it. There were a lot of tough tee shots for me. A lot of times the water's on the left for me being left-handed. So when I look up at the target, there is always water glaring at my face.
For me, it's daunting. It's tough. It's hard to overcome, but somehow I'm overcoming it right now.”
Indeed, he is overcoming it enough to head into the weekend well-placed for his second win of the season and third of his career. He won earlier this year at Torrey Pines in San Diego and could take the money lead with a win, depending on where Luke Donald ends up in the final standings.
Watson grew up in Bagdad, Florida and playing in New Orleans is almost like having a home game.
“It's fun,” he said about heading into the weekend in contention. “This is what we strive to do. We always want the pressure. We always want the nerves, want the butterflies. We're trying to win golf tournaments.
“I've gotten lucky enough to win two so far. Trying to go for my third win. So it would be nice to pull it off here in New Orleans close to my house. About two and a half hours away from where I grew up.”
Teater seemed to be on his way to the halfway lead as he carded eight birdies and no bogeys through 17 holes on Friday, but a double-bogey seven at the last couldn’t derail the positive feeling he had upon completing the round.
“Through the first 17 holes it was great,” said the soft-spoken Teater. “That's what I'm going to remember. That's what we're going to work off of tomorrow. Try to give ourselves chances on the green and hit the fairways. Hopefully they'll keep rolling in like they were today.”
Teater was in a similar spot a few weeks ago at the Shell Houston Open where he played in the penultimate group on Saturday. He went 73-70 on the weekend and earned his best result of the season, a tie for 19th. He said he learned from that Saturday experience.
“ I just learned that I can do it,” Teater said. “Just be focused and every shot matters. If it's a pretty easy shot that I had trouble with there, but just keep doing what you know how to do.”
John Rollins would like to keep doing what he does, too. At 8 under he starts the final 36 just two back and has a good positive feeling of momentum after posting a birdie at his final hole on Friday.
With 172 yards left and into a slight breeze, he hit what for him was a perfect 6-iron that got up into the wind and watched as the wind did the rest. The ball rested two-feet from the cup for an easy birdie finish and Rollins had third-place all to himself.
Dean Wilson, Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson, Matt Jones and John Senden all finished at 7 under to share fourth, while Tommy Gainey, Steve Stricker and David Mathis rounded out the top-10 at minus-6.
The cut came at 1 under par with 71 players making it to the weekend.
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