Record round gives Calcavecchia share of lead

Mark Calcavecchia felt confident about his game and fell in love with his putter. That’s a rare combination for him, so he had a hunch that Saturday would bring him a good round in the PODS Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.

He never could have imagined this.

The 46-year-old Calcavecchia made 10 birdies and tied the Copperhead course record at Innisbrook with a 9-under-par 62, going from the middle of the pack to a share of the lead with Heath Slocum, who birdied the last hole for a 67.

K.J. Choi shot 67 and was another shot behind.

Calcavecchia hit a 3-iron into about 6 feet on the par-3 17th, then hit a sweeping hook with a 7-iron out of a fairway bunker on the 18th and made a 20-foot birdie to tie the course record set by Jeff Sluman in the first round in 2004.

Five players were within three shots of the lead, including Lucas Glover (67) and Chris DiMarco (69), and a dozen others were within five shots.

Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett shot a 76 to finish at 217.

Champions Tour

Jay Haas shot a 7-under 64 to match the Toshiba Classic’s 36-hole scoring record and take a one-stroke lead over Peter Jacobsen into the final round in Newport Beach, Calif.

Haas, who opened with a 65, had a 13-under 129 total on the Newport Beach Country Club course.

He matched the 36-hole record set by Rodger Davis in his 2003 victory.

Jacobsen, who had laser back surgery last week to repair disk damage caused from a hip replacement last year, followed his opening 66 with a 64.

R.W. Eaks (66) two strokes back at 11 under, and Ben Crenshaw (67) and Joe Ozaki (64) followed at 10 under.

LPGA

Meaghan Francella shot a 4-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead during the suspended second round of the MasterCard Classic in Huixquilucan, Mexico.

Francella had five birdies and a bogey on the Bosque Real Country Club course in the round marred by sporadic rain that prevented 87 players from completing the round. She had an 8-under 136 total.

Stacy Prammanasudh, the first-round leader after a 67, and South Korea’s Seon-Hwa Lee were tied for second at 6 under.

Locals Tracy Hanson (Rathdrum) and Wendy Ward (Edwall, Wash.) were unable to complete the second round of play.