Janzen Gets Grip on Game

Seeking his first tournament title since 1998, Lee Janzen figures a new putting stroke gives him a shot.

The two-time U.S. Open champion shot an eight-under-par 64 Friday and trailed leader Brett Wetterich by one shot after two rounds at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Wetterich, an 11-year pro who couldn’t recall leading a tournament before, shot his second successive 66 for a 12-under total of 132.

Janzen has spent plenty of time on a leaderboard but endured a long putting slump.

“It got to the point where it ruined the rest of my game,” he said. “I had no confidence in my putting. There were a lot of bad rounds on Saturdays and Sundays when I was in contention.”

After changing his grip, stance and putter, Janzen figures this weekend might be different. He surged into contention by making five putts of 15 feet to 35 feet.

“You become impatient to win again,” he said. “It has been very frustrating. But I haven’t given up hope.”

First-round leader Chad Campbell shot 71 and was tied for third at nine under with Robert Damron, who shot 65.

Vijay Singh, whose six-month reign at No. 1 ended when Tiger Woods supplanted him last week, shot 69 and was four under.

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Richard Green of Australia shot a four-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Swedish golfers Pierre Fulke and Robert Karlsson after the second round of the Qatar Masters. Ernie Els, the only top-50 ranked player in the field, bounced back with a 69 after opening with a 73. Els is seven strokes off the lead.

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Two-time champion Seve Ballesteros withdrew from the Masters because of a knee injury. Ballesteros sat out all of last year because of a series of back injuries. He said he had been training hard and reached the point where he was making progress until discovering problems with the cartilage in his right knee.