Second-round notebook – Zurich Classic of New Orleans
* David Toms’ 136 total is one shot off his best opening-36 hole total in this Tournament. Toms posted rounds of69-66—135 to begin in 2004 when he finished T34. He also carded a 69-67—136 in 2006 and wound up T47. When Toms won in 2001, he opened 66-73 but then came back on the weekend to shoot 63-64 and finish 22-under par, two better than runner-up Phil Mickelson.
* Louisiana native David Toms is making his 16th career start in this event. He won the Tournament in 2001 when it was contested at English Turn G&CC. The victory was the fifth of his 12 career titles. Toms has made two prior starts at TPC Louisiana:
2005 m/c 76-75—151 +7
2007 T44 69-71-74-72—286 -2
2009 ?? 68-68—136 -8
* Jerry Kelly, the early leader in the clubhouse at 10-under 134 (68-66), is making his ninth start in New Orleans. He has made the cut in six of eight starts with his only top-10 a T5 in 2003. In Kelly’s only previous start at TPC Louisiana was in 2005 when he finished T65.
* Jerry Kelly has held/shared the 36-hole lead three times previously in his career:
2001 THE PLAYERS led by 1 finished 4th
2001 Canon Greater Hartford Open part of an 8-way tie finished T7
2004 THE PLAYERS 2-way tie with K. Sutherland finished T6
* In Jerry Kelly’s previous two career wins, he has been near the lead at the halfway mark.
2002 Sony Open in Hawaii second place/3 back
2002 Advil Western Open T5/3 back
* Jerry Kelly had 26 putts in his second round. The Wisconsin native has been averaging 29.50 putts in the second round this year, which ranks him T133 on Tour for putts in the second round.
* A total of 72 players made the 36-hole cut, which came at 1-under par 143. Third-round play will be in twosomes off the first tee. The first group will tee off at 7:55 a.m. and the final group tees off at 12:56 p.m.
* Here is how the 36-hole cut has looked in the three previous years at TPC Louisiana:
Year Leader 36-hole cut Total # of players
2005 -11 +1 145 84
2007 -9 -1 143 85
2008 -8 even-par 144 81
2009 -10 -1 143 72
* Defending champion Andres Romero (73-76) was disqualified following the second round Friday. Romero signed an incorrect scorecard. Romero signed for a par-5 on No. 18, where he actually made a bogey-6. The last defending champion not to advance to the weekend here was 2005 winner Tim Petrovic, who shot rounds of 71-70—141 (-3) and missed the cut in 2006 by a single stroke.
* Some of the more prominent names that are heading home for the weekend:
Scott McCarron 74-70—144
Mark Calcavecchia 73-71—144
Nick Watney 74-70—144
Mike Weir 76-69—145
Bubba Watson 75-70—145
J.B. Holmes 71-75—146
Steve Elkington 73-74—147
Jason Gore 73-74—147
Bob Tway 71-77—148
Danny Lee 76-75—151
* Troy Matteson tied the TPC Louisiana course record Friday with an 8-under 64, thanks to seven birdies, an eagle and one bogey. Matteson tied the mark set by Kyle Reifers during the opening round in 2007. Among Mattesons’s highlights for the day were chip-in birdies on No. 12 from 50 feet and No. 17 from 51 feet, along with an eagle putt of 25’ 7” on the par-5, 7th hole.
* Matteson’s stats on the day: 9 of 14 fairways 13 of 18 greens 22 total putts
* Among those in attendance Friday, New Orleans Hornet guard Chris Paul, who spent a few minutes with fellow Wake Forest University alum Webb Simpson (70-71). Paul and the Hornets play host to the Denver Nuggets in * * Game 3 of their opening-round NBA Playoff series on Saturday afternoon. The Nuggets lead the best-of-seven set 2-0.
* Ian Poulter fired a bogey-free, 6-under par 66 Friday to move up the leaderboard. The score was the best Poulter has posted in a PGA Tour event since a final-round 66 (5-under) at the 2007 BMW Championship. In relation to par, the 6-under score is the best for Poulter since a 7-under (64) in the opening round of the 2006 WGC-American Express Championship. Poulter is making the 90th start of his PGA Tour career and has now made 66 total cuts. He has 14 top-10 finishes with his best a T2 at the 2006 WGC-American Express Championship and a 2nd at the 2008 British Open.
* There are 9 past champions in the field this week:
1996 Scott McCarron 74-70—144 m/c
1997 Brad Faxon 69-78—147 m/c
1999, 2000 Carlos Franco 73-72—145 m/c
2001 David Toms 68-68—136 T4
2002 K.J. Choi 72-66—138 T14
2005 Tim Petrovic 70-69—139 T21
2006 Chris Couch 71-75—146 m/c
2007 Nick Watney 74-70—144 m/c
2008 Andres Romero 73-75—dq
* Former Champion Nick Watney missed the cut this week, which means Watney won’t get to spend his 28th birthday (Saturday) playing golf at TPC Louisiana.
* Scott Piercy made an eagle-2 at the par-4, 13th hole by tapping in a short putt of 3’ 11”. Piercy drove the green on the dogleg-left hole that measures 363 yards. His tee shot took a direct line route to the green and thus measured only 328 yards.
* Masters runner-up Kenny Perry was in good position late in the day and was 8-under par with two holes to play. Closing his day on the front nine Perry finished bogey/double-bogey for a 2-under 70 and a 5-under total. Perry hit his tee shot at the par-3, 9th into the water, took a drop, hit his third to 5’ 9” and missed his putt for bogey-4.
* Players who were bogey-free in the morning wave:
66 K.J. Choi, Ian Poulter
68 Greg Owen
69 Joe Ogilvie
* Players who were bogey-free in the afternoon wave:
67 Rory Sabbatini, Darron Stiles
68 Steve Marino
69 Brett Quigley
70 Will MacKenzie, Chris Riley
* Here is how the quartet of Monday Qualifiers is faring thus far:
Jason Buha 72-75—147 (+3)
Rodney Butcher 77-81—158 (+14)
Russ Cochran 71-75—146 (+2)
Kevin Stadler 70-67—137 (-7)
* Kevin Stadler gained entry into this event as a Monday Qualifier when he shot a 66 at The Bridges Golf Club in Bay St. Louis, MS, which is about 50 miles east of New Orleans. He was one of four from a group of 60 players to make the starting field of 156. Ironically enough, Stadler would have been the final man in the field had he not been successful on Monday. On the list of alternates, Stadler would have been added to replace Notah Begay II, who withdrew on Wednesday. Instead, Tag Ridings was the one to replace Begay in the field.
* Kevin Stadler (70-67—137/-7) is currently tied for 6th after two rounds. This is his 114th career start on Tour. Stadler’s best standing after 36 holes was a T2 at the 2005 Michelin Championship. He’s also been T5 on two other occasions. His career-best finish was a T4 at the 2008 Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular.
* There were several “birdie clusters” during Friday’s play –
Jerry Kelly birdied four of six holes to begin the back nine
David Toms made four consecutive birdies starting at No. 12
Charles Howell made five consecutive birdies starting at No. 7
David Mathis birdied seven of eight holes starting at No. 13 (he started his round on the back nine)
Rory Sabbaitini birdied four consecutive holes starting at No. 4
Boo Weekley birdied four consecutive holes starting at No. 17 (he started his round on the back nine)
Steve Allan birdied four of five holes starting at No. 4
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