Curtis rounding game into shape
Ben Curtis’ game is starting to come around, just in time for the British Open.
The 2003 British Open champion shot a bogey-free, 7-under-par 64 Thursday, giving him a share of the lead at the Western Open in Lemont, Ill., with Jim Furyk and Todd Fischer.
The score was one shy of the course record, and gave the trio a two-stroke lead over former Western champ Robert Allenby, Harrison Frazar and Chad Campbell.
“I made it very simple on myself, didn’t get in any trouble off the tee with the thick rough,” Curtis said. “I just played very solid. … Everything clicked together today.”
Fan favorite John Daly, playing his first Western since 1996, finished at 69 after almost holing his second shot on the par-4 18th.
Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh didn’t look like the top two players in the world. Woods, who couldn’t get the ball close to the pin all afternoon, shot a 73 and has some work to do to make the cut.
Singh shot 72 and is also projected to miss the cut, along with former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett (75).
“If I shoot 64, 65, I’ll be right back in this thing where I could win it,” Woods said.
Curtis was a rookie just trying to hold onto his PGA Tour card when he won the British two years ago, beating Singh and Thomas Bjorn by a stroke. Though he’s had some good rounds here and there, he’s never come close to duplicating his run at Royal St. George’s.
He had one top-10 finish last year, and finished 141st. This year, he’s made the cut twice in 14 tries, and his best finish was a tie for 56th at Wachovia.
“I am in a slump,” he said. “This year has just been up and down. It just seems like one week I’d hit the ball poorly and then the next week I’d putt poorly. So it’s been everything, to be honest.”
Sorenstam bounces back
Annika Sorenstam needed a little time to close out Joanne Morley.
Coming off a disappointing finish in the U.S. Women’s Open on Cherry Hills’ speedy greens, Sorenstam overcame an early deficit to beat Morley 2 and 1 in the first round of the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship in Gladstone, N.J.
The Swedish star will face 32nd-seeded Tina Barrett – a 5-and-3 winner over Young Kim – in the second round. The tournament will then turn into an endurance test in the sweltering conditions, with the third round and quarterfinals set for Saturday and the semifinals and final Sunday.
Second-seeded Cristie Kerr also advanced, beating Lindsey Wright 2 and 1. Kerr, the Michelob Ultra Open winner early last month, will face Liselotte Neumann today. Neumann beat Moira Dunn 4 and 3.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., defeated Joo Mi Kim 3 and 1.