Jun. 13, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM staff
As the second round finishes up early at TPC Southwind, the rest of the field is preparing for Round 3. Here's how it sets up:
WEATHER UPDATE (9 a.m. ET): The forecast for the Memphis area calls for sunny skies, high temperatures and light winds for the morning and the early afternoon. Friday's storms have passed, but beginning around 3 p.m., the chance for more storms increases and is expected to be a threat until nightfall.
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| Groups We're Watching |
11:50 am ET
No. 1 |
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Brian Gay, Robert Allenby, Bryce Molder
Gay still has the lead after the morning finish, but Allenby and Molder are hot on his heels.
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11:32 a.m. ET
No. 1 |
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David Toms, Heath Slocum, Rich Beem
Two-time winner Toms wants another win while Slocum had the low round Friday.
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10:38 a.m. ET
No. 10 |
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Brendon Todd, Phil Mickelson, Glen Day
After a 66-68, Mickelson will need to go low in Round 3 if he wants to be in contention on Sunday.
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EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR Network on-site correspondent Bob Stevens previews Saturday's third round:
Following a day-ending weather delay, there can't be many expectations among those at the top of the leaderboard. Brian Gay slept on the lead Friday night, but if he sleeps in at all, he might not have it when he gets to the course with nearly a dozen players still within striking distance playing Saturday morning.
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| Saturday's forecast |
Scattered t-storms
Temp: 91 high/73 low
50 percent chance of storms. Light winds. |
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Many players I've talked to say this is actually easier pressure-wise up at the top of the leaderboard, because there's really nothing to sleep on; nobody knows what the lead will actually be until they've already played some on Saturday. The overnight pressure is on all the guys near a cut line that still isn't at all certain -- could be 1 under, could be even par -- with too many players still to play to be able to tell.
Heath Slocum shot the low round of the day early, a 7-under 63 that even included a bogey. He told me afterward that it was a case of finally putting together a day when he hit his irons well and putted well, that he'd been doing one or the other for much of the season. Beware a "tough course" player at TPC Southwind, the toughest non-major layout last year on TOUR. A check of the overnight leaderboard is loaded with veteran ball-strikers, not bombers -- guys like Brian Gay, David Toms, Robert Allenby, Woody Austin and yes, Heath Slocum. Slocum qualified for next week's U.S. Open 51 weeks ago, when he finished in the top 10 at last year's Open at Torrey Pines.
Speaking of veterans to watch out for, there's always the local guy with more course knowledge than anyone in the field -- Loren Roberts. The Champions Tour superstar, who liked Memphis so much when he first played here that he moved from California, is playing in his 25th St. Jude Classic. He has top-10s in three different decades here, yet has never won. I watched the "Boss of the Moss" work his magic Friday -- a 67 that needed only 26 putts and included a couple of long-distance par saves. When I asked him what it would mean to be in the hunt on Sunday, he reacted like anyone who's been involved with the St. Jude folks for as long as he has, saying it would be even greater for the tournament and community than it would for him to chase a championship.
| Stat of the day |
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Robert Allenby, who lost in a playoff to Justin Leonard at the 2008 St. Jude Classic, will have made his 39th cut in his last 40 starts -- his only blemish being a missed cut at the 2009 Verizon Heritage. Prior to that, Allenby's last missed cut was the 2007 Sony Open in Hawaii. |
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| Thus far at TPC Southwind |
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| The Film Room |
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PGA TOUR Today
Win McMurry updates action from the second round of the 2009 St. Jude Classic presented by FedEx and previews what to watch for in the third round. Watch it |
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Round 2 highlights
Brian Gay holds a two-stroke lead heading into Moving Day in Memphis, which will begin once Round 2 has been completed in the morning. Watch it |
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Shot of the Day
Camilo Villegas holes out for eagle from the fairway on the par-4 17th. Watch it |
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