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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 18, 2006

Glover leads Bay Hill; Wilson two shots back

Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Lucas Glover might wish the PGA Tour came to Orlando more often.

Five months after a stunning victory down the road at Disney, Glover surged into the lead yesterday at the Bay Hill Invitational with birdies on two of his last three holes for his second 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead over Robert Allenby (67) and Rod Pampling (65).

Halfway through a sun-baked tournament, Glover has a chance to join some elite company. Tiger Woods and the late Payne Stewart are the only players to win individual titles at both Orlando events on the PGA Tour, and Woods is the only player to win them consecutively.

Glover, a 26-year-old from South Carolina, can't explain his success in these parts. He only hopes it continues.

"I think Tiger even said it — if you're playing well, you don't mind where you're playing," said Glover, who was at 10-under 134 on a Bay Hill Club course that was getting firmer and tougher.

Scores remained bunched, with more than a dozen players within five shots of the lead going into the weekend.

Woods wasn't among them.

He rarely hit it close to the flag all afternoon, the exception coming at the par-5 sixth with an approach over the water to 8 feet for eagle. He followed that with a three-putt bogey from 25 feet, and wound up with a 1-under 71 to finish seven shots off the lead.

Hawai'i's Dean Wilson, a co-leader after the first round with Bart Bryant at 66, was the only other player at 10 under until two bogeys on his final three holes gave him a 70, two shots out of the lead. Sergio Garcia had a 69 and was at 7-under 137, along with Bryant (71).

Wilson, a six-time winner in Japan, was in the lead until hitting into two bunkers on the par-5 16th, leading to a bogey. He also bogeyed the par-4 18th when he pulled his second shot way left of the green, chipped to 65 feet and two-putted.

"I'm trying to hit a little cut, and I guess at the last second my brain bails out and I go left," Wilson said of his second shot a 18. "Maybe I should have taken a little more time after I see Charles (Warren) hit it in there (the lake on the right)."

CHAMPIONS TOUR

Toshiba Classic: Bob Eastwood shot a 6-under 65 to take the first-round lead at the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach, Calif., with Graham Marsh and Bruce Lietzke a stroke behind.

Eastwood had seven birdies, including a chip-in from 12 feet in front of the green on the final hole at Newport Beach Country Club to break a three-way tie.

Hawai'i's Dave Eichelberger was two back after a 67. Ten players were at 68, including Lanny Wadkins and Peter Jacobsen.

LPGA TOUR

Safeway International: Sarah Lee eagled the 513-yard, par-5 18th hole to finish off a 5-under 67 for 132 total and a one-stroke lead over Aree Song after two rounds of the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.

Paula Creamer, the 2005 LPGA Rookie of the Year, shot a 67 and was tied with Suzann Pettersen (65), two strokes back at 134.

Lee, a South Korean in her fifth year on tour, has never won an LPGA event.

The 19-year-old Song, starting her fourth year on Tour and looking for her first victory, shot a 69.