A Big, Easy breeze
His post-majors funk behind him, Ernie Els was back in his element Friday.
Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, Els breezed through a wacky day of weather at the American Express Championship in Thomastown, Ireland, by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead and hope that he still has a lot to play for this year.
“I didn’t know what to expect today,” said Els, known to the golf world as The Big Easy. “I wanted to just try and get myself in position and take every shot as they came. I mean, 64 in these conditions … it’s one of the better rounds I’ve played this year.”
Els was at 11-under 133, and right behind him was a familiar foe.
No, not Tiger Woods.
British Open champion Todd Hamilton, who went head-to-head with Els over the final 40 holes at Royal Troon before beating him in a playoff, had one of only two bogey-free rounds at Mount Juliet for a 69 and was at 9-under 135 with Miguel Angel Jimenez (68).
Woods still struggled with a back injury, but he saved his worst grimaces for all the putts he missed.
Just one shot off the lead at one point, Woods took 19 putts over his final nine holes and had to settle for a 70, leaving him five shots behind going into the weekend.
Everyone spent way too much time changing clothes.
The weather switched from showers to sunshine, from a warm breeze to cold gusts up to 20 mph, sometimes over the span of three holes.
Three shots behind to start the second round, Els had the lead before Hamilton even got to the first tee box. He holed a couple of short putts, nearly made an ace on the par-3 third, then made a 30-footer on the fourth.
He added a couple of more birdies on the back nine, then ended his round with a 10-foot par save.
Justin Leonard, desperate to make the Tour Championship for the 10th straight year, had a 68 and was alone in fourth at 8-under 136. U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen, second to Els on the European money list, had a 69 and was at 137 with Lee Westwood (69), Thomas Bjorn (69) and Steve Flesch (70).
Woods joined Brad Faxon (68) and Padraig Harrington (69) among those another stroke back. In all, 13 players were within five shots of the lead with two rounds left.
Southern Farm Classic
Steve Pate closed his 7-under 65 with two birdies and shared the lead with Harrison Frazar after two rounds of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic at Madison, Miss.
Pate, who hasn’t won on the PGA Tour in six years and hasn’t finished better than 15th this year, was at 12-under 132 after his second trip around the 7,199-yard course at Annandale Golf Club. Frazar, who had two eagles in his 67, started the round tied for the lead with John Senden and Glen Day. Chris Couch shot a 63 and was tied at 133 with Senden (67) and Patrick Sheehan (68).
Day shot a 70 and was in a group of seven three strokes behind the leaders.
David Duval finished at 1 under and missed the cut for the fifth time in seven events this year. The 13-time winner and 2001 British Open champion had four bogeys in his second-round 72. Corey Pavin, the 1995 U.S. Open champion, finished at even par. The cut was 3 under.
Constellation Energy Classic
Wayne Levi tied a tournament record with an 8-under 64 and held a one-shot lead over Rodger Davis after the first round of the Constellation Energy Classic at Hunt Valley, Md.
Joe Inman and Eduardo Romero had 67s at the 7,060-yard Hayfields Country Club course and were one shot in front of a group of 11 that included Hale Irwin, Tom Kite and Tom Watson.
Levi had eight birdies as he matched his best round on the Champions Tour. Levi tied the course record set by Jose Maria Canizares in 2000 and matched by J.C. Snead in 2002.