Grady Shoots Conservative 67 : PGA: He leads tournament with 139 by staying out of Shoal Creek’s infamous rough.

The whining subsided Friday, but the struggles did not as the 1990 PGA Championship continued to inflict its special brand of torment on a numb, weary field.

But Australian Wayne Grady managed to solve Shoal Creek’s quirky ways and for his efforts was rewarded with a 67, five shots under par and one ahead of the field as the second round came to a merciful end.

Grady began the day at par, but quickly shot up the leader board with four birdies on the front nine and another two on the back side. His two-day total of 139 put him a stroke better than Fred Couples, who played a patient, conservative round of 71; and Larry Mize, who shot a 68, thanks to three birdies on the last four holes.

Billy Mayfair, 24, and Chip Beck were at 141, and four players, among them defending champion Payne Stewart and Fuzzy Zoeller, were four strokes off the lead at 143.

That ended the roll call of sub-par two-day totals. Shoal Creek, with its oft-criticized rough and, so the pros say, inconsistent greens, wasn’t in a giving mood Friday.

Grady had his impressive 67 by staying clear of the rough.

“I haven’t hit it in there enough to be really cheesed off,” he said. “If I hit it in there 15 times (today), I’ll probably come in this (interview room) and tear it up.”

Zoeller, who recorded a 71 Friday, simply called Shoal Creek “the hardest damn course I’ve ever played in my life in a tournament.”

It wasn’t a complaint as much as a statement of fact.

For evidence, simply consult the score cards of Seve Ballesteros, 83; Mike Reid and Robert Gamez, 78; Mark Calcavecchia, 77, and Curtis Strange, 76.

Gamez and Reid made the cut at 151 but Ballesteros, Calcavecchia and Strange caught rides to the Birmingham airport.

This is the second time in as many years that Grady has flirted with greatness. He led the 1989 British Open at Troon after two rounds but later squandered the advantage and ultimately lost to Calcavecchia in a playoff.

“I used to think about it, but I don’t anymore,” he said.

Actually, none of the four majors has been particularly kind to Grady. He missed the cut at both this year’s British Open and U.S. Open and tied for 27th at the Masters. Of course, you wouldn’t have known it Friday when Grady recorded only one bogey during the round.

“It’s one of my better rounds, because of the conditions,” he said.

Grady was referring not only to the rough but to the sometimes-hard, sometimes-soft greens as well. But all in all, Grady considered the course “an excellent layout.”

He will get little argument from Couples or Mize. Couples called Shoal Creek “a great, great course,” and Mize said, “I like it this way.”

Couples retired his driver for most of the day, relying instead on placement and patience, not exactly his hallmarks. In short, “Boom Boom,” as Couples is called on the tour, turned to dink-dink golf. Known for ballistic drives, Couples decided to treat the course with care and respect.

“I’m not out there having a picnic,” he said. “But my attitude is if I hit in (the rough), which I’m going to do, then don’t worry about it. I know a lot of people don’t care for the rough, but it’s not going anywhere. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

It is for that reason that Couples said the scores will continue to be on the high side.

“I don’t believe there will be a lot of scores in the 60s,” he said.

Stewart remains within striking distance of the lead, and for the first time this week, he didn’t go out of his way to rip the rough. However, he did take about a two-foot chunk of Bermuda grass out of the ground after “malfunctioning” an easy sand wedge shot on No. 11.

“My daughter would have said, ‘Daddy, that wasn’t very nice,’ ” Stewart said. “But I did replace (the huge divot).”

Stewart played better after the temper tantrum. In fact, he said he liked his chances to repeat as PGA champion.

“Good scores can be played here,” he said.

Grady proved that much.

PGA Notes

Seventy-four players made the 151 cut. Jack Nicklaus at 152, Arnold Palmer at 162 and Lee Trevino at 152 did not. Trevino won the PGA at Shoal Creek in 1984. . . . Mark Lye and Jay Don Blake both withdrew after 10 holes Friday.

Bobby Wadkins, who began the day four under par and holding a one-shot lead, shot a 75. His day included a woman yelling as he stroked a putt and a driver snapping in two during his backswing. Wadkins said he will either borrow a driver from his brother, Lanny, or have a new club sent by air express. . . . Fuzzy Zoeller on why the course is playing so hard: “I think what we’re paying for is Lee Trevino shooting a damn great score here in ’84.” Trevino finished the tournament that year at 15 under.