Second-round notebook – THE PLAYERS Championship
Ian Poulter, 67-68=135 (-9)Ian Poulter has made six starts on the PGA Tour this year and has missed only one cut (Arnold Palmer Invitational). His best finish came last week when he tied for fifth at the Quail Hollow Championship. He finished T9 at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and has three additional top-20 finishes.
Poulter has made all but one cut at THE PLAYERS in six starts (including this year), but he has never finished inside the top 20. His best performance was a T21 in 2008.
With rounds of 67-68, Poulter posted his best back-to-back rounds at THE PLAYERS. He had only three of 18 rounds in the 60s at TPC Sawgrass coming into this week.
Alex Cejka, 66-67=133 (-11)
Alex Cejka has posted 13 birdies (and two bogeys) through two rounds, halfway to the Tournament record of 26 birdies (Fuzzy Zoeller, 1994).
Cejka has yet to win on the PGA Tour, but he had a shot at the 2005 PLAYERS title. Fred Funk won at 9-under-par. Cjeka was 8-under-par through 14 holes, but finished double-bogey, par, bogey, bogey to fall to T12.
The 36-hole record at THE PLAYERS was set by Greg Norman in 1994 at 130 (-14) with opening rounds of 63-67. Norman went on to win THE PLAYERS by four shots. With Cejka’s 11-under Friday, 20 players in Tournament history have been in double digits under par after 36 holes, and Greg Norman and Nick Price are the only ones who have gone on to win:
1994 130 (-14) Greg Norman
1993 132 (-12) Nick Price
1996 133 (-11) Tommy Tolles
2009 133 (-11) Alex Cejka
1987 133 (-11) Steve Jones, Mark O’Meara
2005 134 (-10) Luke Donald, Joe Durant, Tim Herron, Lee Westwood
1993 134 (-10) Bernhard Langer, Dave Rummells, Doug Tewell
1992 134 (-10) Billy Ray Brown, Jose M. Olazabal
1987 134 (-10) Dan Pohl, Scott Simpson
1986 134 (-10) Larry Mize, Bob Murphy
1974 134 (-10) Lou Graham
Alex Cjeka has held an outright lead only once before in his career, when he shot 64 (-7) during the first round of the 2009 Verizon Heritage. Cjeka went on to finish T13 after rounds of 71-72-72. He has shared a lead four other times:
Year Event Position/Round Eventual finish
2001 British Open T1 after round three T13
2004 Michelin Championship T1 after round two T32
2006 FBR Open T1 after round one T53
2006 Valero Texas Open T1 after round one T50
In the last 10 PLAYERS Championships, only Phil Mickelson (2007) and Hal Sutton (2000) have managed to turn a 36-hole lead into victory. In the 35-year history of THE PLAYERS Championship, the 36-hole leader has gone on to win the Tournament only eight times. If Cejka can do so, he would be the fifth international player in the last eight years to win THE PLAYERS and only the second player in Tournament history to make THE PLAYERS his first PGA Tour win (joining Craig Perks, 2002).
Kevin Na, 71-66=137 (-7)
Kevin Na carded a 66 (-6) on Friday, his first round in the 60s at THE PLAYERS in 10 tries, to move into contention at 137 (-7). In three starts at THE PLAYERS, Na has missed the cut twice (2005, 2006) and T54 in 2008.
Na is in the midst of a great season, with four top-10 finishes so far this year. In five seasons on the PGA Tour, he has never recorded more than three top 10s in one year (3 in 2007 and 2008). His best finish this year was third place at the FBR Open. Na is currently ranked 25th in FedExCup points. He ended the 2008 season ranked No. 83 in U.S. Presidents Cup Team points; he’s now No. 31.
Na, like Cejka, is looking to become the second player in Tournament history to make this championship his first PGA Tour win.
Angel Cabrera, 72-65=137 (-7)
Masters champion Angel Cabrera made a nice run Friday with a 65 (-7) on Friday, two shots off the record second-round score at THE PLAYERS set Friday by Daniel Chopra. This was Cabrera’s first round in the 60s at THE PLAYERS and only the fifth time he’s broken par at TPC Sawgrass in 18 rounds.
Only three players have won THE PLAYERS and a major championship in the same year and only one player has won both the Masters and THE PLAYERS Championship in the same season:
Tiger Woods 2001 (Masters)
Hal Sutton 1983 (PGA Championship)
Jack Nicklaus 1978 (British Open)
Since THE PLAYERS began in 1974, Cabrera is just the fourth sitting Masters Champion to be in the top five on the leader board after 36 holes. Cabrera joins Vijay Singh (2001, 3rd), Seve Ballesteros (1984, 3rd) and Raymond Floyd (1977, 3rd).
Cabrera (T3) leads the field with 14 birdies through two rounds and has 15 par-breakers on the week.
Cabrera has missed the last four cuts at THE PLAYERS (2003-08) and finished T26 and T36 in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
Daniel Chopra, 75-65=140 (-4)
Daniel Chopra made the largest move in Friday’s second round, moving from T123 to T22, thanks to a 65 (-7) in round two.
Chopra started on the back nine for his second round and reeled off an eagle and four birdies, tying the 9-hole back nine Tournament record at 30 (-6). He is only the second player to do so in round two.
John Cook, 1991, final round
Greg Norman, 1994, first round
Phil Mickelson, 1996, third round
Kirk Triplett, 1996, final round
Justin Leonard, 1996, first round
Taylor Smith, 1997, first round
Padraig Harrington, 2004, final round
Joe Durant, 2005, second round
Charl Schwartzel, 2007, third round
Chopra added four birdies and three bogeys on the front nine and finished with a 65 (-7).
Chopra only hit 6 of 14 fairways in his round and still shot a 65, the lowest score by a player who hit less then 50% of the fairways in the last 25 years. Chopra made eight birdies, one eagle and three bogeys in the second round.
Chopra’s best round on the PGA Tour is a 64, which has happened seven times, most recently during the third round of the 2007 Valero Texas Open. He eventually finished T3.
* Other player notes
Defending champion Sergio Garcia carded rounds of 71-73 and made the cut on the number, despite three-putting from 6 feet, 9 inches for bogey on 18. He came close to becoming the seventh defending champion to miss the cut the following year:
Calvin Peete, 1985 champion
Sandy Lyle, 1987 champion
Jodie Mudd, 1990 champion
Steve Elkington, 1962 champion
Nick Price, 1993 champion
Stephen Ames, 2006 champion
* Phil Mickelson (73-71=144) also made the cut on the number. In his career at TPC Sawgrass, Mickelson has made 12 cuts in 16 starts with three top-10s, including a victory in 2007.
* In his first appearance at THE PLAYERS, Jason Dufner is T3 at 7-under-par after posting rounds of 67-70. Dufner finished T5 last week at the Quail Hollow Championship, his best finish in 91 career PGA Tour events. He has three top 10s in 12 starts in 2009 and ranks 39th in the FedExCup standings.
* With his 3-under-par 69 on Friday, Tiger Woods has posted 16 of 17 rounds at par or better in 2009. His lone over-par round was a third-round 71 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.
* Tiger Woods has played the 16th hole in 38-under par for his career at THE PLAYERS. His next-best hole is the par 5 second, which he has played at 23-under in 46 rounds, including a birdie Friday. Below is a chart showing how Woods has played the different holes at TPC Sawgrass.
Par 3s: +26
Par 4s: +38
Par 5s: -91
Front 9: -3
Back 9: -23
* Scott Verplank had a nice no-three-putt streak going of 177 consecutive holes until he reached the 14th green on Friday and three-putted from 33 feet, 5 inches. Steve Stricker had gone 167 holes without a three-putt coming into Friday’s round, but on his first hole of the day (No. 10), he three-putted for bogey. Stricker shot 71-71 and is 142 (-2) heading into the weekend.
* Brian Gay withdrew due to illness prior to the start of the second round. Carl Pettersson withdrew after playing 15 holes of Friday’s round. Dudley Hart withdrew due to a sore back and hip prior to the start of his second round.
* Nineteen first-time participants (and four rookies) completed 36 holes at this year’s PLAYERS Championship. In the 35-year history of THE PLAYERS, Jack Nicklaus (1974), Hal Sutton (1983) and Craig Perks (2002) are the only players to win the Tournament in their first attempt. Here’s how the first-timers have fared so far:
Brad Adamonis 67-76=143 (-1) T47
Matt Bettencourt* 76-79=155 (+11) MC
Jason Dufner 67-70=137 (-7) T3
Ross Fisher 74-74=148 (+4) MC
Thongchai Jaidee 74-74=148 (+4) MC
Martin Kaymer 71-73=144 (E) T61
Soren Kjeldsen 70-75=145 (+1) MC
Jeff Klauk* 71-72=143 (-1) T47
Martin Laird 71-72=143 (-1) T47
Michael Letzig 71-68=139 (-5) T13
Rory McIlroy 74-77=151 (+7) MC
Parker McLachlin 75-74=149 (+5) MC
Scott Piercy* 71-72=143 (-1) T47
Chez Reavie 70-72=142 (-2) T35
Webb Simpson* 76-77=153 (+9) MC
Jeev M. Singh 68-74=142 (-2) T35
Kevin Streelman 74-74=148 (+4) MC
Marc Turnesa 76-75-151 (+7) MC
Y.E. Yang 73-77=150 (+6) MC
*=denotes PGA Tour rookie
* The best finish by a PGA Tour rookie at THE PLAYERS was posted by Fulton Allem and Camilo Villegas with a T3 in 1988 and 2006, respectively. Other top-10 finishes by rookies at THE PLAYERS: Jeff Quinney (T6, 2007) and Dave Rummells (T10, 1996).
* Top 10s in first starts at THE PLAYERS
Player Year Finish
Hal Sutton 1983 Won
Craig Perks 2002 Won
Tommy Tolles 1996 2
Fulton Allem* 1988 T3
Henrik Stenson 2006 T3
Camilo Villegas* 2006 T3
Lee Westwood 1998 T5
Joe Ozaki 1993 T6
Steve Lowery 1994 T6
Chad Campbell 2003 T6
Robert Karlsson 2007 T6
Jeff Quinney* 2007 T6
Nick Price 1984 7
Zach Johnson 2005 T8
Greg Chalmers 2000 T9
Jim Booros 1982 T10
Dave Rummells* 1986 T10
Bob Tway 1986 T10
Paul Casey 2004 T10
* denotes PGA Tour rookie
* Justin Leonard (T13) is tops among the 10 past champions in the field this week. The 1998 PLAYERS winner posted a 3-under-par 69 on Friday and is 5-under-par through 36 holes.
* Here’s how the 10 former Tournament winners have fared over the first 36 holes this year:
2008 Sergio Garcia 71-73=144 (E) T61
2007 Phil Mickelson 73-71=144 (E) T61
2006 Stephen Ames 70-71=141 (-3) T27
2005 Fred Funk 73-71=144 (E) T61
2004 Adam Scott 71-74=145 (+1) MC
2003, 1992 Davis Love III 73-74=147 (+3) MC
2001 Tiger Woods 71-69=140 (-4) T22
1998 Justin Leonard 70-69=139 (-5) T13
1997, 1991 Steve Elkington 73-73=146 (+2) MC
1996, 1984 Fred Couples 80-71=151 (+7) MC
* Garath Lord, winner of the caddie shootout on 17 on Wednesday (Robert Karlsson’s caddie), is donating $1,000 of his winnings to the Bruce Edwards Foundation for ALS Research.
* The cut fell at 144 (E) and included 83 players, marking the 10th time in Tournament history that the cut has been even par or lower.
2006, 144 (E)
2005, 143 (-1)
2003, 144 (E)
1996, 143 (-1)
1994, 144 (E)
1993, 142 (-2)
1992, 144 (E)
1987, 143 (-1)
1986, 144 (E)
* Eighty-three players is T3 for the most players to make the 36-hole cut at THE PLAYERS.
1994, 85 players at 144 (E)
2005, 84 players at 143 (-1)
2004, 83 players at 146 (-2)
* A total of six balls were hit in the water off of the tee on the famed 17th hole on Friday, which is the fewest since the third round in 2004 (four).
* The Birdies for Charity program annually leads up to THE PLAYERS Championship and allows the community to support local charities through tracking the exciting, high-level of play during the Tournament. Similar to a walk-a-thon, Birdies for Charity participants make a pledge to a local organization for each birdie made by professional golfers during THE PLAYERS. A record 68 local organizations are participating this year, up from 51 in 2008 and a strong indication that the generosity of First Coast residents will allow for a record fundraising effort.
First-round birdies: 548 = $58,485.60
Second-round birdies: 486 = $56,892.20
Total: 1,034 birdies = $115,377.80
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