Day 2: Ready for the Open?

5/10/2008

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Aside from the fabulous all-around game that earned the legendary Lee Trevino five major championship wins, the Merry Mex is known for his priceless one-liners.

That adage usually doesn't apply at the majors, where, even more than dogs, par becomes man's best friend. And that adage won't apply at THE PLAYERS Championship this weekend either.

With the wind whipping and the sun beating down on an already firm and fast TPC Sawgrass, par might be gold on Saturday and Sunday. Just ask two-time PLAYERS winner, Fred Couples.

If that's the case, what can we expect? Of the top 12 players on the leaderboard, just Couples and Bernhard Langer (5 under) have majors on their resume. And none of their wins have come at the U.S. Open.

Kenny Perry will lead the pack into the weekend at 6 under and could very well be a serious threat to win if the weekend does indeed becomes a par-battle. Unlike most, Perry has avoided the rollercoaster round in the first two days. The 47-year-old Kentucky native has been steady from the word go, recording a mere two bogeys through the first 36 holes -- one in each round.

While he isn't a major champion, Perry came close at the 1996 PGA Championship at Valhalla in his home state, losing in a playoff to Mark Brooks.

Furthermore, Perry has won on three of the best/most-challenging courses on the PGA TOUR schedule -- Colonial, Muirfield Village and Bay Hill. He clearly knows how to handle big-name tracks.

Perry is also one of the more experienced players at the top. This is his 20th appearance at THE PLAYERS, and his best finish was a tie for third in 2003.

With Perry, Langer and Couples all in the mix, it kinda gets you thinking about another elder statesman on the PGA TOUR – Fred Funk, who at age 48 became the oldest player ever to win THE PLAYERS in 2005.

It certainly got Perry thinking about Funk, who's now 51 and still battling at TPC Sawgrass (although he failed to make the cut Friday).

Leaderboard – Round 2:

1. Kenny Perry                 USA  68 70 138 - 6
2. Bernhard Langer           GER  72 67 139 - 5
    Paul Goydos                USA  68 71 139 - 5
    Sergio Garcia                ESP  66 73 139 - 5
5. Anthony Kim                USA  70 70 140 - 4
6. Boo Weekley               USA  70 71 141 - 3
7. Briny Baird                   USA  71 71 142 - 2
    John Merrick                USA  70 72 142 - 2
    Fred Couples               USA  70 72 142 - 2
    Stephen Ames             CAN  74 68 142 - 2
    Kevin Stadler               USA  70 72 142 - 2
    Ben Crane                   USA  70 72 142 - 2

Source: PGA Tour