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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:10 p.m., Friday, August 1, 2008

McLachlin shoots record-tying 62, Wie misses cut in Tahoe PGA event

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Parker McLachlin is all smiles after finishing up the 18th hole with a course-record-tying round of 10-under-par-62 at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open at the Montreux Gold and Country Club in Reno. McLachlin finished with a two-day score of 14-under-par-130.

RICH PEDRONCELLI | Associated Press

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In a tournament in which the focus was on Michelle Wie, fellow Punahou School alum Parker McLachlin has turned the spotlight his way with a stunning course-record-tying 10-under-par 62 and a four-shot lead after today's second round of the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open in Reno, Nev.

McLachlin, who shot a 4-under 68 Thursday, had 10 birdies and no bogeys while shooting matching nines of 5-under 31.

His 130 total is four shots ahead of John Merrick, who shot his second consecutive 67, Nick Flanagan (65), Larry Mize (66) and Brian David (67)

McLachlin, 29, who has five Top 25 finishes this year and ranks 98th on the tour money list, birdied seven of the last 10 holes during one stretch.

"Nothing really crazy. It was just pretty solid," McLachlin said about his round.

"Everything went pretty smoothly out there. I hit a lot of fairways, lots of greens and made a bunch of 10-footers. I mean, just kind of the way you like to draw it up," he said.

McLachlin missed a four-foot birdie attempt on the par-4 18th that would have broken the record Bill Glasson set in 2005 and Joe Ogilvie matched in 2006. His previous best on tour was a 65, though he said he shot a 63 once on the Nationwide Tour and carded a 59 at the course he represents (Waikoloa) in Hawai'i, where he was born and grew up.

"I didn't know what the course record was but I caught myself thinking about 59 at No. 14. I had like about a 10-footer," said McLachlin, who had birdied six of the previous seven holes.

"I thought 'If I birdie the last five holes I can shoot 59.' And that's just the worst thing to think. So I made par there," he said, as well as at the 15th.

Meanwhile, the 18-year-old Wie shot an 8-over-par 80 today in a round that included a nine on the eighth hole.

Wie, who was trying to become the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to make the cut on the PGA Tour, finished her two days at 9-over 153.

The cut was even-par 144.

"I feel my game is a lot better. Obviously the score doesn't show it, but I know what I need to work on," Wie said. "I gave it my best today and I felt like I did a lot of good things and hopefully that outshines the ones I made mistakes on."

Wie started the day within reach after shooting a 1-over 73 Thursday. She stayed in contention after her front nine that included two bogeys and a birdie for a 1-over 37.

But she double-bogeyed the par-5 fourth and bogeyed the par-3 seventh before disaster struck on the eighth.

She birdied her final hole for a closing nine of 7-over 43.

Wie didn't know if she'd make another run at a PGA event in the future.

"I think if I played a couple (PGA events) in a row, it would be a different story. It's just hard to play one and then one maybe a year later," she said. "I think if I played eight in a row and I missed all eight, that would be a different story."

Read McLachlin's latest "Parker's Postcards" at the following link:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/SPORTS0901/807310361/1310/GOLF