Overton breaks out of slump to share AT&T lead
Jeff Overton doesn’t feel like a different player than the guy who couldn’t make it to the weekend on the PGA Tour over the last two months. Funny how seeing the ball drop in the hole changes everything.
Overton continued his one-week turnaround Friday with a 5-under-par 65, giving him a share of the lead with Tom Pernice Jr. in the AT&T National before storms rained on the Fourth of July atmosphere at Congressional and interrupted the second round at Bethesda, Md.
Overton and Pernice, who matched the course record on a soft, still day at Congressional with a 63, were at 9-under 131.
Anthony Kim, living up to his billing as the next young threat in golf, appeared poised to catch the leaders until a 1 1/2 -hour storm delay that slowed his momentum. A bogey on the par-5 ninth gave him a 67, three shots behind with Cliff Kresge (65).
Consider how quickly Overton’s prospects have changed.
He hasn’t finished in the top 20 all year. He had not broken par since the last week in April. He missed the cut at the Buick Open last week, his sixth weekend off in his last seven tournaments.
He stuck around Detroit for a British Open qualifier – Overton has never played in any major – and was 9-under par over two rounds to finish first in his field and earn a ticket to Royal Birkdale.
He showed up at Congressional and hasn’t stopped.
“I’ve hit a lot of great shots the last few weeks. It’s been frustrating lipping out a lot of putts,” Overton said. “And on Monday, made a bunch of putts and saw the ball go in the hole a few times, and it opens the flood gates mentally.”
LPGA
South Korea’s Seon Hwa Lee birdied five of her final six holes for an 8-under 64 to take a two-shot lead at the LPGA Tour’s NW Arkansas Championship at Rogers, Ark.
Lee, who won the Ginn Tribute last month, ended with a flourish, hitting a pitching wedge from 104 yards to about 3 feet on No. 18, setting up her last birdie.
The start was delayed about five hours, bringing back memories of last September, when the inaugural event was shortened from 54 to 18 holes because of heavy rain. It rained hard early and the fairway below the 18th green at Pinnacle Country Club was flooded after a water hazard overflowed.
When the first groups finally started, Stacy Lewis took center stage.
With a gallery of around 200 cheering her on, the former University of Arkansas star began with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 4. She finished with a 69 on the 6,238-yard course, four strokes worse than her tournament-best score a year ago. Because the event lasted only 18 holes last year, she didn’t get credit for an official victory.
H.J. Choi (66) was second, a shot ahead of Ai Miyazato and Eun-Hee Ji. Kristy McPherson also was 5 under through 13 holes.
Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., shot a 72.
Champions Tour
Joe Ozaki shot a 9-under 63, his best round in three years on the Champions Tour, to take a two-shot lead over Argentina’s Eduardo Romero in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open at Endicott, N.Y.
Joey Sindelar, Ronnie Black, and Fulton Allem were tied for third at 66, while John Harris, Des Smyth, Bobby Wadkins, and Morris Hatalsky were another shot back.
Bernhard Langer, second on the tour in earnings, shot a 73.
R.W. Eaks, who won this event a year ago with a 17-under total of 199, had a 75 while playing on two bum knees.