| Stroud takes lead at Texas Open to weekend | Friday 10/10, 8:18 PM CT |
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Grobes, Texas, native and Lamar University graduate Chris Stroud shot a 6-under-par 64 Friday to move to 10 under after two days at this week's Valero Texas Open, leading Paul Goydos, Tim Petrovic and Tim Herron by two strokes, according to PGATour.com. Stroud, who has been battling knee and wrist injuries for most of the 2008 season, shot his career-best round on the PGA TOUR (63) in the third round of last year's Valero Texas Open. He finished tied for sixth here last year for one of his two career top-10 finishes on the PGA TOUR.
Our View: This is the first time in Chris Stroud's career that he has held or shared the lead in a PGA TOUR event following any round. The 36-hole leader has gone on to win 18 of 42 stroke-play events on the PGA TOUR this year. At 26 years old, Stroud is attempting to become the 14th winner on the PGA TOUR in their 20s in 2008 vs. 7 winners in their 20s for 48 events in 2007. |
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| Goydos on the move at Texas Open | Friday 10/10, 8:14 PM CT |
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Two-time PGA TOUR winner Paul Goydos shot his second consecutive 4-under-par 66 and is two off the lead at 8-under par at this week's Valero Texas Open, according to PGATour.com.
Our View: Goydos, who lost in a memorable playoff to Sergio Garcia at THE PLAYERS this year, is playing in this event for the 12th time in his career, dating back to 1993 and has never missed the cut. He has finished in the top 10 (tied for eighth in 2006, tied for seventh in 2003) in his previous two appearances here at La Cantera. |
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| Rookie Jones working to make noise at Texas Open | Friday 10/10, 8:12 PM CT |
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Rookie Matt Jones, who entered the week ranked no. 124 on the PGA TOUR Money List, shot a 6-under-par 64 to move to 7 under par for the tournament and is tied for fifth through two rounds at the Valero Texas Open, according to PGATour.com.
Our View: The 28-year-old has two fourth-place ties finishes in his rookie season. He held a share of the 54-hole lead at the Honda Classic with Luke Donald and Mark Calcavecchia. He hit his tee shot in the water on the par-3 17th on Sunday and made double bogey, eventually finishing three behind winner Ernie Els. |
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| Streelman surging at Texas Open | Friday 10/10, 8:10 PM CT |
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Kevin Streelman got himself back into this week's PGA stop in San Antonio for the Valero Texas Open with a front-nine 29 on Friday, according to PGATour.com. Streelman shot an opening-round even-par 70 and began Friday's round tied for 71st. His second-round 7-under-par 63 moved the 29-year-old rookie to a tie for fifth.
Our View: Streelman has enjoyed some memorable moments during the 2008 season, including holding a share of the first-round lead at the U.S. Open. He also birdied two of his last three holes and a narrowly missed putt on the final hole left him one shot out of a playoff with Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland to finish tied for fourth at The Barclays, his best finish of his PGA TOUR career in the first event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. |
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| Herron playing well at Texas Open | Friday 10/10, 8:08 PM CT |
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Tim Herron, winner of the 1997 LaCantera Texas Open, is two strokes off the lead with rounds of 65-67-132 for a two-day score of 8-under-par, two strokes off the lead at this week's Valero Texas Open, according to PGATour.com.
Our View: When Herron won in 1997, he opened with a 1-under 71. Herron comes into the week No. 103 on the money list. This is Herron's ninth time playing at La Cantera. After recording back-to-back top-10 finishes in 1996 and 1997 (tied for sixth in 1996 and a win in 1997), Herron is in search of his first top-10 at this event in more than a decade. He is tied for second despite hitting just 10 fairways in two days. |
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| Calcavecchia to undergo knee surgery | Friday 10/10, 8:04 PM CT |
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Mark Calcavecchia will undergo knee surgery on October 14 thus closing out his 2008 season, according to ESPN.
Our View: This knee is the long-standing (no pun intended) problem which has been cut-on twice before this procedure. Calcavecchia has withdrawn from the Frys.Com Open that begins October 23rd. At 48 he'll take advantage of recuperation time and will be back in 2009 using his exemption earned by winning the 2007 Pods Championship. |
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| Schwartzel takes top spot in Madrid | Friday 10/10, 8:03 PM CT |
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Charl Schwartzel overcame illness and a sore shoulder Friday to shoot a 7-under 64 and share a two-shot lead at the Madrid Masters with Marcus Fraser, according to the Associated Press. Schwartzel nearly withdrew before play started Friday but the South African went on to shoot the day's second-lowest score to join Fraser (66) at 9-under 133 after the second round. Sweden's Steven Jeppesen (67) and Robert Rock of England (65) were two shots back. Andrew Tampion of Australia had a 63 that left him five strokes off the pace.
Our View: Schwartzel had a bogey-free round with five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 No. 4. Fraser, who shot a 67 on Thursday to share the overnight lead, started with three birdies over the first four holes but then made three straight bogeys from No. 6. The Australian rallied with five birdies over the back nine for his 66. A handful of players were three strokes behind the leaders, while Spanish Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jimenez -- who hasn't won in Spain in 10 years -- was seven shots back, along with former U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera. Jose Maria Olazabal's return from an injury lost some momentum after the two-time Masters champion shot a 72 to make the cut at 142. |
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| Seve moved out of ICU | Friday 10/10, 8:00 PM CT |
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Severiano Ballesteros was moved out of intensive care Friday but remained hospitalized four days after being admitted because of a dizzy spell, according to the Associated Press. Madrid's La Paz hospital said the 51-year-old Spaniard was in stable condition. He will have more tests to determine what made him lose consciousness on Monday.
Our View: Ballesteros said he was "feeling well" in a message written on his Web site Thursday. He was admitted to a hospital last year, and doctors discovered an irregular heartbeat. It is unknown whether that condition is linked to his problem. |
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| Green takes opening lead at Texas Open | Thursday 10/9, 8:07 PM CT |
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Australian Nathan Green carded an opening-round score of 8-under (62) for a two-stroke lead over Olin Browne and Paul Claxton at this week's Valero Texas Open, according to PGATour.com. Green hit the first 16 greens in regulation and was 9-under par before missing the green (left) at the 186-yard, par-3 17th hole. Green did not reach the green on his second shot and needed a putt of 5 feet, 5 inches for a bogey-4. Green missed a birdie putt of 7 feet, 8 inches on the final hole.
Our View: The 62 marked a new career-low round on the PGA TOUR for Nathan Green. His previous TOUR-best score was a 63 (8 under) in the second round of the 2007 John Deere Classic, where he finished tied for third. This is the first time in Nathan Green's three-year PGA TOUR career that he has held the first-round lead. Green held a one-shot lead after both the second and third rounds of the 2007 John Deere Classic, where he finished three strokes back of winner Jonathan Byrd. |
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| Browne making good at Texas Open | Thursday 10/9, 8:04 PM CT |
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Olin Browne posted a 6-under-par 64 in Thursday's opening round at the Valero Texas Open, tied for second, two shots back of leader Nathan Green, according to PGATour.com. The 64 for Olin Browne is his lowest score on the PGA TOUR since a final-round 64 in the 2005 Valero Texas Open where he finished second.
Our View: Browne has struggled in 2008, making only eight cuts in 24 starts. The 49-year old Ryder Cup Captain's Assistant comes into this week ranked No. 207 on the money list. Browne hit all 18 greens in regulation and 11 of 14 fairways. For the year, Browne is ranked No. 84 on TOUR in Greens in Regulation (64.29 percent) but he also is No. 1 in Driving Accuracy (79.75 percent). |
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