Daily Wrap-up: Round 2, Zurich Classic of New Orleans

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Apr. 29, 2011
By Staff and wire reports

AVONDALE, La. -- Bubba Watson shot a 4-under 68 in shifting wind conditions Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Josh Teater after the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

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Watson, the Torrey Pines winner in late January, had a 10-under 134 total at TPC Louisiana.

"For me, it's daunting," he said. "There were a lot of tough tee shots for me. A lot of times the water's on the left for me being left-handed. "It's hard to overcome, but somehow I'm overcoming it right now."

The long-hitting Watson eagled the par-5 11th -- his second hole of the round -- for the second time, holing a 20-footer to get to 8 under. He added a 4-foot birdie putt on 13 and a 13-footer on 14, but bogeyed the 18th when he hit his third shot over the green from a bunker. He also birdied the seventh with a 3-footer.

"You're not sure what the wind's doing on some holes," said Watson, who has failed to win the three previous times he has had the 36-hole lead. "So, you're always watching and trying to see what's going on to figure out how to play the holes."

Teater shot a 66, dropping two strokes with a double bogey on the par-5 18th.

"It was kind of on an upslope," Teater said about his third shot. "And I don't know if my club just got stuck, but I was trying to hit it left of the flag and middle of the green, and it shot out right on me."

John Rollins was 8 under after a 69. Dean Wilson matched the course record with a 64 to join John Senden (67), Jason Dufner (69), Matt Jones (71) and Webb Simpson (69) at 7 under. Simpson counted New Orleans Hornets star guard Chris Paul among his gallery.

"I played good for two days," Rollins said. "I've hit the ball well and given myself a lot of opportunities. So, I've got to be very pleased with where I am and we'll see how the week works out."

Steve Stricker (68), David Mathis (68) and Tommy Gainey (71) were 6 under.

Luke Donald topped a group at 5 under after a 71. He lost a playoff last week at Hilton Head, missing a chance to jump from No. 3 to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Vijay Singh made the cut by a stroke, following a 74 with a 68 to get to 2 under.

David Duval, Rory Sabbatini, Hilton Head winner Brandt Snedeker, Justin Rose and John Daly missed the cut. Duval opened with a 67, but doubled-bogeyed the second hole on way to a front-nine 42 and 79.

TPC Louisiana: Friday

EASIEST HOLE	TOUGHEST HOLE
The par-5 11th hole was the easiest with a Friday scoring average of 4.605. EAGLES: 5 BIRDIES: 65 PARS: 67 BOGEYS: 15 OTHER: 0	The par-3 17th hole was the toughest with a Friday scoring average of 3.349. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 6 PARS: 98 BOGEYS: 38 OTHERS: 10

About the leaders

• Bubba Watson eagled the par-5 11thhole for the second day in a row en route to a 4-under 68. He will head into the weekend at 10-under with a 1-stroke lead over Josh Teater. He was quoted as saying a large part of his decision to play this week was "because my mom encouraged me to." She is in his gallery this week.

• Interestingly, Watson hit his second shot into the green at the 11thfrom precisely 237 yards both days.

• Known as a PGA TOUR "bomber," Watson hit 11 of 14 fairways in regulation for the second straight day. Over the course of the first two rounds, he has averaged 307.5 yards off the tee.

• Making his 10th start of the season, Watson has a pair of top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win over Phil Mickelson by a stroke at the 2011 Farmers Insurance Open, Watson's second career win (2010 Travelers Championship).

• Watson is making his seventh start at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. His best previous finish was a T5 in 2007. He finished T43 at TPC Louisiana last year.

• Of his three previous 36-hole leads on TOUR, none have resulted in victory.

• Watson made his first career start on the PGA TOUR at the 2002 Compaq Classic of New Orleans through Monday Qualifying. He missed the cut in the event that year.