Duval makes first cut of '08, Goosen heads home

text size

Windy conditions made scoring difficult on Friday at the TPC Southwind, which hosts the Stanford St. Jude Championship.

A total of 74 players made the cut at 5-over on a course that boasted a 73.206 36-hole scoring average. Only last week's Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley has a higher average this season.

In the last nine tournaments, eight of the cuts have been over par. The only exception was the AT&T Classic, where even-par 144 made the weekend. There's only been one sub-par 36-hole cut this year, when 70 players shot 2-under 140 or better to stick around at the FBR Open. This time last season, the PGA TOUR had five 36-hole cuts below par.

POSITIVE MOVERS

Bob Estes -- tied for 90th after the first round, he shot the day's second-best round of 65 to move into the top 15.
Trevor Immelman -- the reigning Masters champ was also tied with Estes and looking at an early departure, but he fired a solid 66 Friday to move into a tie for 14th.
Brian Gay -- he reversed course with a 67 Friday that moved him from a tie for 124th into a share of 41st.
Tim Herron -- a 3-under 67 on Friday propelled Herron into a tie for 25th place.

NEGATIVE MOVERS

Vance Veazey -- started the second round in a tie for 11th but a second-round 77 sent him packing.
Cody Freeman -- he was tied for fourth after Thursday but shot 79 on Friday and dropped below the cutline. This is his seventh consecutive missed cut on the PGA TOUR.
Ryan Palmer -- began the day tied for 24th but couldn't find another 70 on Friday, instead shooting 78 with five bogeys and three double bogeys.

ON THE NUMBER

David Duval -- couldn't maintain the momentum of that opening 70, just his third even-par score of the season, but even with Friday's 75 still made his first cut of the year.
Brad Elder -- dropped six strokes on Friday and came close to missing the cut after a first-round 69 but managed to squeak into the weekend with a second-round 76.
Dicky Pride -- tied for 106th at the start of the round, Pride's even-par 70 was enough to prevent him from having to pack his bags and head home.

NOTABLE MISSED CUTS

Shaun Micheel -- the 2003 PGA champion and Memphis native plans to have shoulder surgery next week.
Retief Goosen -- the two-time U.S. Open champion went home early after Friday's 78.
John Daly -- despite having a home near the TPC Southwind, Daly didn't have a home-course advantage on Friday. He shot an 11-over 81 and moved from a share of 56th into a tie for 131st.
Charles Howell III -- a 7-over 77 on the second day cost him a chance to compete on the weekend after he opened the tournament with a respectable 73.