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BETHESDA, Maryland: Americans Jeff Overton and Tom
Pernice shared a three-shot lead after the rain-interrupted second
round of the $6-million PGA AT&T National on Friday.
Pernice matched the course record
with a blistering seven-under 63 while Overton, who hasn’t
finished in the top 20 all year, fired a 65 to reach nine-under 131
at the Congressional Country Club course.
“I finally made a cut,” said
Overton in celebration.
Overton had not broken par since
the last week in April and has missed the cut in six of his past
seven tournaments.
“It was one of best ball
striking rounds I’ve had probably in my whole life,” the
25-year-old Overton said. “I hit a lot of two-irons just because I
knew I could hit seven, six or five-irons into the green I was very
confident with it. It was a fun round.”
Pernice, 48, warmed up after his
first five holes with a string of four-straight birdies beginning at
the par-four sixth hole. He added three birdies on the back nine,
including one to close his round at the par-four 18th.
Anthony Kim is third at six-under
134 after carding his second consecutive 67 in a round that was
interrupted for one hour because of rain.
A group of seven players are at
five-under, including Australians Rod Pampling and Nick O’Hern who
shot 69 and 65.
“The greens were a lot
softer,” Pampling said. “We obviously had that rain this
morning, so it was difficult to get it close to some of the pins.”
It marked the second time this
year that Pernice shot a 63. He also posted the same score in the
final round of the St. Jude Championship last month en route to
tying for eighth.
Pernice, who missed the cut last
week at the Buick Open, is seeking his first win on the PGA Tour in
seven years.
First-round leader Steve Marino
is also at five-under after an even-par 70.
Defending champion K.J. Choi has
fallen eight shots back of the leaders after a one-over 71 dropped
him to one-under 129 and a tie for 26th.
The event was supposed to be
hosted by Tiger Woods who underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in
his left knee three weeks ago.
--AFP
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