Els Stays Clear of Woods

Ernie Els walked up the ninth fairway Friday and studied the electronic scoreboard behind the green. He had two reasons to look.

First, Els wanted to see the size of his lead in the Mercedes Championships, which was two strokes and growing. Then, he wanted to see if Tiger Woods’ name was anywhere to be found. It wasn’t.

“At a regular tour event, you have to beat 153 guys and Tiger,” Els said. “This week, you have to beat 32 guys and Tiger.”

After two rounds against the winners-only field, it doesn’t matter what the event is.

While Woods struggled to extend his streak of consecutive rounds at par or better, Els made the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, look like a breeze in a seven-under-par round of 66 that gave him a four-stroke lead after 36 holes.

“I’ve done some pretty hard work up to now,” Els said. “I can reap a little bit of the benefits. I don’t want to change anything.”

Els was at 12-under 134 and has made only one bogey in two rounds in the fierce, often swirling, trade winds off the coast of Maui.

He will play the third round with his favorite practice partner, Masters champion Vijay Singh, who had eagle putts on all of the par-five holes and had a six-under 67.

Jim Furyk, playing in his first tournament since injuring his right wrist while playing football in the parking lot before a Pittsburgh Steeler game, shot 69 along with Rory Sabbatini of South Africa. Both are also at 138 with Singh.

A year ago, Els went toe-to-toe with Woods over the final 54 holes, one of the most thrilling weekends on the PGA Tour. He lost in a sudden-death playoff when Woods capped off an eagle-birdie-birdie finish with a 40-foot putt.

Woods had an even-par 73, his worst score since a three-over-par 73 in the first round of the Byron Nelson Classic on May 11.

“It can’t be much worse,” Woods said. “I’m hitting it terrible, putting it terrible, chipping it terrible. Other than that, it’s pretty good.”

A 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th was enough to keep Woods’ streak of 49 consecutive rounds on the PGA Tour, 57 consecutive worldwide safe.

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Making frequent use of a 1-iron to fight through the unpredictable wind, Laura Davies shot a six-under-par 66 to take the lead after one round of the YourLife Vitamins LPGA Classic at Orlando, Fla.

Trying to spark a career that has sagged of late, the 37-year-old Davies held a one-stroke lead over Penny Hammel and led by two over Leigh Ann Mills, A.J. Eathorne and Kellee Booth.

Five strokes back and well within striking range was Karrie Webb, the two-time defending player of the year.

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Snow fell during a PGA Tour event for the first time in 14 years as a strong winter storm stopped play in the Tucson Open.

The second round was postponed until today, and the PGA Tour adjusted the schedule to finish the 72-hole event Monday, just three days before the start of the Sony Open in Honolulu.

The delay also left the event with eight leaders at five-under-par.

Tim Clark, Tim Herron, Geoff Ogilvy, Kevin Sutherland and Willie Wood each shot 67 in the first round and did not start Friday.

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In a move that will keep the tournament among the highest paying events on the PGA Tour, the Byron Nelson Classic will raise its prize money to $4.5 million.