Horgan Puts Low Numbers Next to Name : Pebble Beach: He shoots 70 at Spyglass Hill to tie Bob Lohr for lead after two rounds.

Patrick Henry Horgan III recalled that he was paired with Tom Watson during the third round of a tournament in New Orleans in 1989.

Horgan shot a 67 and Watson had a 69.

“He asked me if I had to qualify for the tournament,” Horgan said. “I said, ‘No, Tom. I’m on the tour.’ ” Horgan, who was identified as “Morgan” on a local television newscast Thursday, is not so obscure now.

He shot a two-under-par 70 Friday at Spyglass Hill and shares the second-round lead with Bob Lohr at 136, eight under par, in the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Mark O’Meara, Lanny Wadkins, Jeff Sluman and Tom Sieckmann are one stroke behind the leaders.

In contrast to sunny skies without a hint of wind Thursday, it was overcast and slightly windy Friday.

Rain was forecast for Friday night.

Horgan, 30, who opted to leave the PGA Tour last year to play on the Ben Hogan apprentice tour, grew up in Newport, R.I. He made it clear, though, that he is not a member of a storied, old family even though he has Roman numerals next to his name.

He said his father, P.H. Horgan II, owns a steak-seafood restaurant in Newport and doesn’t know anything about golf.

Horgan likes to be identified by his initials. Asked if he is related in any way to Patrick Henry, the famous patriot, he said:

“I hope not. Anyone who is stupid enough to say ‘Give me, liberty, or give me death . . . ‘ “

Horgan said he went to the University of Rhode Island on a football scholarship. As a wide receiver in high school, he scored the winning touchdown in a state championship game.

However, after two years of college football, he turned to golf.

“I had to push myself off the ground too many times,” Horgan said. “I found that college football was too business-like.”

When Horgan told his parents that he wanted to become a professional golfer, they were skeptical.

“I had no reason to think I would do well and even though my parents were supportive, my father’s feeling was I would come to my senses soon,” he recalled.

Horgan played on the Florida mini-tours and then the Asian tour before he got his tour card in 1989.

Even so, he was struggling last year when he decided to return to the Hogan tour, where he won his first event, the Yuma Open. He wound up third on that tour’s money winning list, earning $84,432.

“I was a big fish in a little pond, but it was nice for my ego and I learned how to win,” he said.

Now he’s trying to win his first PGA Tour event against more established players.

Horgan should be particularly leery of O’Meara, who has won this event in 1985, ’89 and ’90 for three of his seven tour victories.

O’Meara, who shot a four-under-par 68 at Poppy Hills, was asked if he seems destined to win here.

“Any golf course where you have had some past success, it brings back fond memories,” O’Meara said. “I like courses that are demanding, where par is usually a pretty good score and I think any of the top players would say that.”

O’Meara, who seems assured of making the cut, is relieved that he he will play the last two rounds at Pebble Beach. He was critical of the greens at Poppy Hills, saying they were bumpy.

“In my next to last hole, I missed a putt of 18 inches,” he said. “I didn’t even hit the hole.”

Wadkins, who shot a 70 at Poppy Hills, had to almost bite his lip to keep from criticizing the greens at the course.

“I have no desire to donate to Deane’s (Beman) favorite charity,” Wadkins said when asked about the greens.

Beman, the PGA Tour Commissioner, fines players who are overly critical of courses.

Like O’Meara, Wadkins will play his last two rounds at Pebble Beach, one of his favorite courses.

“It’s a great course,” Wadkins said. “It’s a delight to play. I’ve played the course under all (weather) conditions, except snow, and I know it.”

Golf Notes

Bob Lohr shot a five-under-par 67 at Pebble Beach. He said he hit 16 greens and had a stretch of 11 holes where he didn’t have a putt longer than 15 feet. He had six birdies and a bogey in his round. Lohr said he has hadn’t any success in this tournament in the six or seven times he has played here. “I think 30th was about my best finish,” he said.

Arnold Palmer, who shot a 71 Thursday at Spyglass Hill, faltered to a 78 at Poppy Hills, with a 40 on his front nine. Jack Nicklaus, who shot a 76 Thursday at Spyglass, improved slightly to a 73 Friday at Poppy Hills. Mark Wiebe, who shared the first-round lead with Jeff Sluman, each with 64s, was 10 strokes higher Friday at Spyglass Hill.

P.H. Horgan III said he missed the cut by one stroke at Pebble Beach last year, when he finished his third round with a triple bogey and a bogey. Then, he was off to Yuma the next week, where he won. His best finish in the PGA Tour was a tie for fifth in a tournament in New Orleans in 1989. He said he sent a check for $27,000 home to his startled father. . . . Mark O’Meara has been in the 60s in 10 of his 15 rounds this year. He hasn’t finished lower than ninth in three tournaments, including a five-man playoff in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, a tournament that was won by John Cook.