Perry still shows way at Travelers
CROMWELL, Conn. - These guys might be good, but they’re no match against the weather. When it decides to play, Mother Nature always wins.
The second round of the Travelers Championship was suspended yesterday when a strong band of storms came through late in the afternoon, bringing reports of 60-mile-per-hour winds and hail to the Hartford area. Play was suspended at 4:25 p.m., with 75 players still on the TPC River Highlands course. Play will resume this morning at 8, with the 36-hole cut then the third round scheduled after that.
Like Thursday, Kenny Perry still leads by two strokes, but he was one of 77 players who completed the second round. Perry, who flirted with 59 in the first round before settling for a 9-under 61, had a 68 yesterday, with his two-round total of 11 under par two shots in front of Ryan Moore.
Perry’s 61 was the second of his PGA Tour career. The first, in the third round of the 2003 Colonial, was followed by a final-round 68. He won that week, in a tournament remembered more for Annika Sorenstam’s participation. A win this week would be Perry’s second of the season and 14th of his career, which has enjoyed a resurgence. Perry, 48, has six wins since 2005, and nearly won the Masters this year, losing a playoff to Angel Cabrera after leading by two strokes with two holes to play. He’s made 20 previous appearances at the Travelers, never winning. The way he’s playing, that could soon change.
“I love this golf course. It’s one of my favorites,’’ Perry said. “It’s got a lot of risk/reward holes, and the finish from 13 in are just beautiful golf holes coming down the stretch.’’
Perry said he struck the ball better yesterday than he did in his first round, when he was seven shots lower. He didn’t miss a fairway in the second round, and reached 16 greens in regulation, two more than he did Thursday. The difference was the putter. Perry only needed 25 putts in shooting 61. Yesterday, he took 32.
“I kept hitting it in there 15 feet from the hole. I just kept hitting that range, all day, all day, all day. I think I made one putt over 6 feet,’’ Perry said. “It was just a frustrating day on the greens, that’s about all I can say.’’
Twice in the last three years, a player has made the Travelers his first PGA Tour victory. Moore would like to join that club. He’s finished second in a tournament each of the past four years, and comes here confident after a 10th-place finish at the US Open, a tournament extended a day because of weather delays.
“Any time you go play solid in a major, at least for me, it gave me some positive momentum going into this week,’’ said Moore. “I’ve won a lot of tournaments, I just haven’t won out here yet.’’
Moore is one of only six players to win two US Golf Association events in the same season, taking the US Amateur and the US Amateur Public Links in 2004. He also won the NCAA championship that year, creating high expectations when he turned pro after the 2005 US Open.
He’s certainly unique when it comes to on-course appearance. Moore prefers sneakers instead of golf shoes, and wears a sweater vest and tie. His cap looks like a train conductor’s hat, completing the retro ensemble.
“I love the old, classic golf look, and I just think it’s fun,’’ said Moore, who shot 65 yesterday to reach 9 under. “That’s all I’m trying to do, just have fun and enjoy it.’’
Six players were another stroke back at 8 under, with Tour rookies Colt Knost and Aaron Watkins (combined starts: 33) having finished their second rounds. Of the players near the lead and still on the course, Anthony Kim was making the biggest move, 4 under through 13 holes to also reach 8 under. Kim had a breakout season last year, winning twice and playing a key role in the US Ryder Cup team’s victory. That hasn’t carried over to this year, with only one top-15 finish.
Paul Goydos (13 holes), David Toms (13 holes), and Spencer Levin (nine holes) were also at 8 under, and will return to the course to finish their rounds this morning.
US Open champion Lucas Glover completed his second round, shooting 71. He’s 4 under, safely inside the cut line. Ricky Barnes, who tied for second last week, is 5 under with three holes to play, while Sergio Garcia is 3 under through 13. 