Henninger Shoots a 63 to Lead Western Open

Brian Henninger knows he’s no Tiger Woods. He doesn’t have the booming drives or those awe-inspiring shots that can humble everyone else on the course.

But when he’s relaxed, look out, because he can swing with the best of them.

“I can’t blow the course away,” he said after tying the Western Open record with a nine-under-par 63 and taking a one-stroke lead with an 11-under 133. “I can’t hit it far enough to bring it to its knees. I have to do everything right.”

Henninger was the third player to tie the record in the first two rounds of this year’s Western Open. Stephen Ames did it earlier Friday, and Nick Price did it Thursday.

Franklin Langham, who took a month off after tying for second in the Kemper Open, was one stroke behind Henninger after shooting a 65. Ames, Price, Fred Couples, Stuart Appleby and Steve Flesch were two strokes back.

Woods, who took two weeks off after his 15-stroke victory in the U.S. Open, continued to struggle with his putter. After missing more makable putts in one day than he did the entire week at Pebble Beach, he’s six strokes back at 139 after rounds of 70 and 69.

“I just need to go out there and play a good solid weekend,” Woods said before heading to the putting green. “Hopefully I can get myself back in this tournament.”

With the cut at one-under 143, among those sent home for the weekend were Phil Mickelson (144), Masters champion Vijay Singh (145) and Casey Martin (149).

Henninger missed four consecutive cuts early in the season, and then missed another four heading into the U.S. Open. Finally, after shooting a 77 in the opening round at Pebble Beach, he saw a sports psychologist.

“Missing cuts by a shot every week was telling me something was wrong,” he said. “It was all stress-related.”

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Spain’s Jose Marie Canizares made 10 birdies en route to a course-record eight-under 64 and a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the State Farm Senior Classic at Columbia, Md.

Defending champion Christy O’Connor made four consecutive birdies on the front nine and finished with a 66. Buoyed by an eagle on the 558-foot par-five 15th hole, Leonard Thompson shot a 67. Jim Thorpe, who overcame a double bogey, and James Masserio were tied at 68.

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Heather Bowie, playing in her 11th LPGA Tour event, shot a five-under 66 for a share of the second-round lead with Annika Sorenstam in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic at Sylvania, Ohio. Sorenstam, winner of 20 tour events, shot a 67 to match Bowie’s two-round total of five-under 137.