Calcavecchia ties Slocum in Florida

One round into the PODS Championship at Palm Harbor, Fla., and Mark Calcavecchia already had his bags packed to go home.

He wasn’t quitting. He was just being honest.

Calcavecchia had been in a major slump with his putter, so bad that he went through five clubs in five rounds. And when he took 36 putts in the opening round on his way to a 75, he figured this would be a short week.

“All I had sitting out was a pair of shorts and a T-shirt,” he said. “I was ready for the fast exit.”

Now he’s poised for a big turnaround.

Calcavecchia finally found a putter he could call his friend -- and get this, he actually paid for it at a golf store. It carried him to 10 birdies Saturday to tie the Copperhead course record at Innisbrook with a nine-under-par 62, giving him a share of the lead with Heath Slocum.

Slocum birdied the last hole for a 67, joining Calcavecchia at nine-under 204.

Five players were within three shots of the lead, starting with defending champion K.J. Choi, who finished with three tough par saves for a 67 to wind up one shot behind. A dozen more players were within five shots of the lead.

“It’s so crammed at the top,” Slocum said. “Calc proved today you can shoot a low number, although I didn’t think anyone could shoot that low. Wow.”

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Meaghan Francella shot a four-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead during the suspended second round of the LPGA’s MasterCard Classic at Huixquilucan, Mexico.

Francella had five birdies and a bogey in a round marred by sporadic rain that prevented 87 players from completing the round. She had an eight-under 136 total.

Stacy Prammanasudh, the first-round leader after a 67, and Seon-Hwa Lee were tied for second at six under. Prammanasudh played only two holes Saturday and Lee shot a 69.

Annika Sorenstam was at three under through two holes.