Barclays supergroup runs hot and cold in second round

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PARAMUS, N.J. -- The trio of Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington -- the top three in FedExCup points who are playing at The Barclays -- were paired for the first two rounds at Ridgewood Country Club. Here are reports on each player after the second round:

PERRY PLEASED: Kenny Perry likes his position going into the weekend -- tied for third, four strokes off the lead after his second-round 67 put him at 6 under for the tournament.

Perry

"I've won coming from three back, so I just need to kind of hang around tomorrow and shoot a good round ... and hopefully come the back nine Sunday, that's kind of where it all happens," Perry said. "But I'm ecstatic. I'm in a good position and hopefully I can go out there and open up and make a few birdies early and kind of put it on cruise control."

Perry entered the Playoffs with more points than anybody else after the reset, but he doesn't consider himself the front-runner for the FedExCup.

"Really, nobody's a favorite," Perry said. "It's just the guy who gets hot; that's who they are favoring it to, the guy who gets hot. I hope it turns out the way it did this summer (when Perry won three tournaments in a six-week stretch). That's kind of the way I'm going to have to play these three weeks, like I did those six weeks in the summer."

To replay Perry's second round on PGATOUR.COM's new Shot Tracker, click here. -- Mike McAllister

NEXT WEEK FOR PADDY: After missing the cut by two shots, Padraig Harrington got a little philosophical.

Harrington

"Some weeks things go against you, so I'm not going to worry about it,'' he said. "Other weeks go for you.''

And who's to argue? Harrington's back-to-back major wins at the Open Championship and PGA Championship made him one of the favorites coming into the Playoffs. But he said he was a bit overcautious in the first two rounds at Ridgewood, shooting rounds of 72-73 for a 145. The cut was 143.

"I certainly had my chances the last few holes,'' he said. "But I didn't do it."

Harrington said he needs to sharpen his short game going into next week's Deutsche Bank Championship, which begins Friday.

"I'm going to take it reasonably easy the next six days,'' he said, noting he would probably go to the course Monday. "I'm going to relax and do things at a nice, quiet pace.''

To replay Harrington's second round on PGATOUR.COM's new Shot Tracker, click here. -- Melanie Hauser

PHIL LOOKS TO WEEKEND: It was an eventful day for Phil Mickelson -- one eagle (a 21-foot putt on the par-5 13th), four birdies and five bogeys that turned into a 1-under 70, leaving the former Barclays champion at 2 under for the tournament.

Mickelson

"Obviously I'd like to be closer to the lead," Mickelson said. "But ... a good round tomorrow can get me back in it for Sunday, which is the goal."

Mickelson has praised the par-71 Ridgewood Country Club all week. Though he thinks the course will get a little tougher this weekend, he also thinks enough birdie opportunities will be out there to make up ground.

"I'm making plenty of birdies to score low," Mickelson said. "I just have to eliminate some mistakes."

To replay Mickelson's second round on PGATOUR.COM's new Shot Tracker, click here. -- Mike McAllister