Stricker leads Colonial shootout
Associated Press
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FORT WORTH, Texas — From its Ben Hogan trophy room to its status as the longest-running event at its original site, the Colonial Country Club is among the most venerable stops on the PGA Tour.
This week, the ol' course is playing like a pitch-and-putt.
Steve Stricker shot his second consecutive 7-under 63 yesterday, giving him a 14-under 126 total that set records for 36 holes and for any consecutive rounds at the Crowne Plaza Invitational — yet was barely enough to top a leaderboard filled with players taking advantage of light wind and pillow-soft greens.
"The weather, for two days in a row — well, all week since we've been here — has been unbelievable," Stricker said. "Wind is what this course needs to get difficult, but we haven't seen it yet. ... I kind of like what's going on right now."
Tim Clark, Vijah Singh and Sean O'Hair shot 64s and were lined up right behind Stricker: Clark was one shot back, Singh one more and O'Hair yet another.
Jason Day (65) was at 130, Woody Austin (68) at 131 and Ryan Palmer (63) at 132.
Dean Wilson, a Castle High alum, shot 73 and missed the cut by a shot after opening with a 69. Punahou alum Parker McLachlin made a 9 on his final hole — the par-4 9th — for a 75 and 147 total.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Three share Principal Charity lead: Champions Tour newcomer Olin Browne, former University of Iowa player Lonnie Nielsen and Bruce Vaughan shot 4-under 67s to share the first-round lead in the Principal Charity Classic at West Des Moines, Iowa.
Bruce Fleisher, Mark McNulty, Larry Nelson, Andy Bean, Jeff Sluman, Tom Kite, Fred Funk, Nick Price, Mark Wiebe, Ronnie Black and Tim Simpson opened with 68s on the Glen Oaks course. Two-time defending champion Jay Haas shot a 72.
EUROPEAN PGA TOUR
Two tied atop European Open: India's Jeev Milkha Singh and France's Michael Lorenzo-Vera shot 5-under 69s to move to 8-under 136 and share the second-round lead in the European Open at Ash, England.
England's Anthony Wall (69) and France's Christian Cevaer (70) were a stroke back at The London Club. John Daly missed the cut, shooting a 76—147.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Texas A&M, Arkansas in final: David Lingmerth made an ace and won his match, helping fourth-seeded Arkansas beat eighth-seeded Georgia, 3 1/2-1 1/2, to advance to the NCAA Division I men's team championship at Toledo, Ohio.
The Razorbacks will play seventh-seeded Texas A&M, which beat sixth-seeded Michigan, 3 1/2-1 1/2.