United States Looking Good For Ryder Cup

Golf

The likely members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team are completely outplaying their European counterparts.

Precisely who will be on the two teams remains very much in flux. But after Friday’s second round of the PGA Championship at Mamaroneck, N.Y., the top 10 U.S. players in terms of Ryder Cup points were a cumulative 16-over; the top 10 Europeans were 34-over.

Topping the list of U.S. golfers playing their way toward a slot on the team were Fred Couples and Jeff Maggert, both at two-under for the tournament through two rounds at Winged Foot Golf Club.

Davis Love III, the 10th-ranked U.S. player in terms of Ryder Cup points and, therefore, “on the bubble,” to make the team, put in a strong two rounds and was three-under going into the weekend, one shot off the lead.

Lee Janzen, the second-round leader at four-under, would likely need to win to earn himself a spot on the team. But a strong performance might put him in the running for one of Ryder Cup team captain Tom Kite’s two captain’s picks for the 12-member team.

Kite, himself not yet out of contention, makes those selections Monday morning.

Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk have spots locked up. Phil Mickelson and Mark O’Meara are virtually certain.

Brad Faxon, Scott Hoch, Tommy Tolles and Love - in positions seven through 10 - are vulnerable if anyone behind them makes a move.

Faldo major failure

“Played badly. Putted badly. It’s been a bad day,” Nick Faldo said Friday after shooting an 8-over-par 78 to miss the cut in the PGA Championship.

Three years after setting up shop in Florida to better prepare himself for the four majors, the English star found himself a whopping 43-over in a combined 12 forgettable rounds at Augusta, Congressional, Troon and Winged Foot this year.

He hopes to get another chance on a major stage in the Ryder Cup, but that’s up to Seve Ballesteros.

The European captain might be forced to use one of his two wild-card picks on Spanish countryman Jose Maria Olazabal, leaving either Faldo or Sweden’s Jesper Parnevik on the sidelines for the Sept. 26-28 matches against the United States at Valderrama. Olazabal and Parnevik also missed the cut.

Mark Brooks joined Faldo in the group of notable players who missed the cut.

The 1996 PGA winner at Valhalla, became the first player to win a major tournament and then fail to qualify for weekend play in all four majors the following year.

Also, Jack Nicklaus failed to advance, ending his bid to qualify for weekend play in all four majors for the first time since 1991.

Nicklaus, 57, a five-time PGA champion, shot 74-76.

“I’m disappointed, but I knew going in that it was going to be a tough course for me,” Nicklaus said.

Leonard goes for two

If Justin Leonard wins the PGA Championship, he might think about having his wedge bronzed - but then he wouldn’t have it for the next major.

In a dream pairing of the year’s three major championship winners, Leonard stayed ahead of long-hitting Ernie Els and Tiger Woods for a second consecutive day Friday.

At 2-under and two shots off the lead, Leonard goes into the weekend rounds as the golfer with the best chance of winning a second major championship this year. That hasn’t happened since 1994, when Nick Price won the British Open and the PGA.

Leonard put himself in position with a second-round 70, even par, on top of his opening 68.

Els ballooned to a 76 with some dreadful putting, while Woods shot a second consecutive round of 70.

Senior Tour

At Ada, Mich, Bob Duval and John Morgan, a pair of Senior PGA Tour rookies, were atop the leaderboard after the opening round of the First of America Classic.

Duval, who joined the Senior Tour on his 50th birthday in October 1996, and Morgan, 53, who joined the tour this season, shot 4-under 68s at Egypt Valley Country Club to lead four players by a stroke.

Jerry McGee and Tour rookies Gil Morgan, Dan Wood and Buddy Whitten were one stroke off the pace.

Women’s British Open

At Sunningdale, England, Karrie Webb delivered another strong round, a 2-under-par 70 that kept her three strokes ahead halfway through the Women’s British Open.

Scotland’s Kathryn Marshall birdied the 18th from a bunker to join England’s Trish Johnson in a tie for second.

Webb had one bogey in her first 36 holes and is at 9-under 135.

Marshall had six birdies for a 68 and is at 138 with Johnson.