Two tied at Nissan Open
Associated Press
Mike Weir's victory last year at Riviera was no fluke.
Neither was John Daly's victory last week.
Weir birdied five of his last seven holes yesterday for a 7-under 64 that gave him a tie for the lead with Shigeki Maruyama, a share of the 36-hole record at the Nissan Open in Los Angeles, and hopes of joining idol Ben Hogan as a back-to-back winner at Riviera.
None of that seemed to matter to a gallery gone gaga over Daly.
Coming off a stunning victory last week at Torrey Pines — his first on the PGA Tour in nine years — Daly played even better in his round of 64 that left him only two shots out of the lead.
"It's a great feeling," Daly said. "I really didn't mis-hit a golf shot."
He wasn't alone on a cool, overcast day off Sunset Boulevard, where the average score was 69.76. Tiger Woods shot a 66 and didn't make up any ground, heading into the weekend eight shots behind Weir and Maruyama.
Maruyama, a member at Riviera, was only hopeful of making the cut and wound up with a 66. He and Weir were at 12-under 130, tying the 36-hole record set by Davis Love III in 1992.
Scott McCarron (65) and Briny Baird (62) were at 131.
Weir used to show up at Riviera and go home for the weekend. That all changed last year, when he beat Charles Howell III on the second playoff hole.
"I seem to have figured this course out," said Weir, who now has shot his last five rounds in the 60s at Riviera.
Woods got his act together, too, driving the ball better than he has in a while. Woods started the second round below the cut line, but removed any drama about making his 117th consecutive cut with two birdies on his final three holes that put him in a group at 4-under 138.
"I might even lose ground," Woods said when he finished. "Just seeing 20-odd guys at 4 under or better for the day ... I didn't think the golf course was playing that easy, but evidently it is."
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Kite leads with 8-under 63: Tom Kite found the weather to his liking and shot an 8-under 63 yesterday for a one-shot lead after the opening round of the Champions Tour event at the TPC of Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla.
Kite took advantage of little wind on a damp, overcast day, carding eight birdies in a bogey-free trip over the 6,783-yard course. Larry Nelson and Mike McCullough were a shot off the lead with John Bland and David Eger two back in the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.
"Obviously, the course was out there for the taking," Kite said. "Rarely, since I've been here, have we ever played this golf course with so little wind. Without a little wind to make some of those shots into the greens a little dicey, you are going to get a lot of low scores."
Kite, a former U.S. Open champ with 19 career PGA Tour wins, hit 15 greens and faced only one difficult par save.
MATCH PLAY
Els withdraws: The Match Play Championship lost another top player yesterday when Ernie Els withdrew, saying he wanted to be in London when his 4-year-old daughter goes to school for the first time.
Els, the No. 3 player in the world, had said last month he was debating whether to play in a $7 million World Golf Championship event at La Costa Country Club in Los Angeles.
"Unfortunately, and with much regret, this year's Accenture Match Play Championship falls on the week preceding Samantha beginning her first year of school in London," Els said. "As every parent knows, this is a milestone in the life of a child, and I therefore have chosen to share this time with my daughter and family."
IN THE COURTS
Irish course discriminated: One of Ireland's top golf courses is discriminating against women by refusing to let them join the club, a Dublin court ruled yesterday.
Portmarnock Golf Club, site of 13 Irish Opens, broke the Equal Status Act, which allows private clubs to restrict membership only if that organization promotes an activity specific to a particular group, District Court Judge Mary Collins ruled.
Collins said golf is played equally by men and women, so no golf club in Ireland should be allowed to bar women.
