Advertisement

Johnson, Funk Tied for Lead

Share
From Associated Press

Fred Funk and tour rookie Zach Johnson had near perfect outings Friday to share a one-stroke lead in the Buick Championship after two rounds at Cromwell, Conn.

Johnson shot a five-under-par 65 and Funk had a 66 to move to eight-under 132, one stroke better than Hank Kuehne (65). First-round leader Corey Pavin and Jose Coceres are two strokes back.

Johnson, the Nationwide Tour player of the year in 2003, won the BellSouth Classic in March for his first PGA Tour title. The rookie hit all 14 fairways and had seven one-putts in the round. After two days, he has been the most accurate in the tournament, hitting 27 of 28 fairways.

Advertisement

Johnson began the day five strokes off the lead but finished with six birdies to tie Funk.

Funk, the most accurate driver on tour, treated the gallery to crisp shotmaking all afternoon. The only green he missed was his last one, and that cost him sole possession of the lead.

*

Jill McGill shot an eight-under 64 to take a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Wachovia Classic in Kutztown, Pa.

McGill, a nine-year LPGA Tour veteran looking for her first victory, birdied six of seven holes from the eighth through 14th for a tournament 36-hole record 14-under 130, four strokes better than the previous mark set by Moira Dunn in 2001.

Soo-Yun Kang (66) and Suzann Pettersen (63) were three strokes back at 11-under 133. Shi Hyun Ahn (67) and Grace Park (66) are another stroke back.

First round co-leaders Hilary Lunke (69) and Laura Diaz (69) are tied with Lorena Ochoa (68) at 135.

*

Peter Jacobsen leads the tournament he helped bring to his home state. He shot a six-under 66 in the Tradition at Aloha, Ore., to move to nine-under 135, one stroke ahead of Bruce Lietzke, after two rounds of the Champions Tour’s last major of the year.

Advertisement

Jacobsen was instrumental in relocating the Tradition to the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club last year, but he wasn’t able to play the inaugural event because at 49 he was too young.

Lietzke had a 67 for an eight-under 136 heading into the third round, where he’ll be paired with Jacobsen.

*

Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a six-under 66 to take a one-shot lead at the BMW International Open in Nord Eichenreid, Germany, where European players are in a scramble to make the Ryder Cup team.

Four Ryder Cup berths and two captain’s picks are up for grabs at the final qualifying event to make the 12-man team that plays the Americans at Michigan’s Oakland Hills Sept. 17-19.

Jimenez, who has already clinched a Ryder Cup berth, posted a two-day total of 10-under 134, a shot better than David Lynn, who shot 68.

Advertisement