Lehman May Play in Ryder Cup

Tom Lehman is the Ryder Cup captain, but his recent play indicates that the PGA of America might have been a bit premature in selecting him to lead the squad.

Lehman has been playing like someone who belongs on the team.

He tied for seventh last week at Pebble Beach and is tied for fourth after shooting 67-70 in the first two rounds of the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club. He is 21st on the points list and climbing fast.

Lehman, who is 5-3-2 in three Ryder Cup appearances and 3-0 in singles, said he wouldn’t dare make himself a captain’s pick but hasn’t ruled out playing if he ends up in the top 10 on the points list.

“We want to field the best 12 players that the U.S. has to offer, whoever they are,” he said. “And so if I happen to fall within -- for me, it would have to be top 10.”

Asked if he would be a playing captain or if he would relinquish the duty, Lehman said he didn’t want to think about it until it became more of a possibility.

“But I have said all along that the idea of leading by example is something I believe in,” he said.

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Lehman used such words as “committed,” “focused” and “motivated” when asked what he’d like to see from his team at the K Club in Ireland later this year. But the most important word might have been “together.”

Lehman said a sense of togetherness and chemistry goes a long way toward building confidence and creating a winning environment. That includes practice rounds, Lehman said.

When the U.S. lost at the Belfry in 2002, Tiger Woods played an early-morning practice round alone at the course and finished before the gates opened to the public. When the U.S. lost in 2004 at Oakland Hills, Phil Mickelson drew ire for practicing off-site.

“We’ll practice together as a team, without question,” Lehman said. “No wiggle room.”

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While everyone else who played Riviera and is entered in next week’s $7.5-million Match Play Championship at La Costa makes their two-hour commute, Ernie Els has a much longer one -- about 5,000 miles.

Els is flying to Honolulu to check out a course he’s designing, then flying to the San Diego area Monday night.

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Brian Gay made his first double-eagle when he holed a five-iron from 198 yards on the par-five first hole.

It is the first double eagle on the PGA Tour since Mathias Gronberg made one last July at the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. There were only four double eagles on tour last year.

“Just trying to land it a few yards short and it released and went right in the hole,” said Gay, who shot 67 and is at four under for the tournament. “The roar kept getting louder and louder. We could tell it kept getting closer and then they went crazy.”

Trevor Immelman also had a sweet shot -- a hole in one with a seven-iron on the 164-yard par-three 16th. It was the third ace on tour this season.

The last time there was a double eagle and a hole in one on the same day was the first round of the 2004 British Open.

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David Duval, who has struggled for most of the last three seasons, has shown signs of life. He shot one-over 72 Friday and made the cut for the third time this season -- one fewer than the number of cuts he made in 2004 and ’05 combined.

His first-round 68 on Thursday was his seventh score in the 60s in 13 rounds this season. He shot in the 60s only four times in 42 rounds last year, three times in 22 rounds in 2004, and six times in 46 rounds in 2003.

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It was a difficult tournament for fan favorite John Daly, who missed the cut after rounds of 70 and 77. Daly averaged 305.2 yards off the tee but hit only 14 of 28 fairways, 20 of 36 greens in regulation and was 0-4 in sand save attempts.

Diamond Bar’s Kevin Na, who shot a 68 in the first round, had a 76 Friday and missed the cut. Other notables who missed the cut: Chris DiMarco, Robert Allenby, Jose Maria Olazabal and Justin Leonard.