US PGA TOUR'S VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP
FOUR SHARE LEAD ON CHILLY
OPENING DAY IN FLORIDA
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
PALM HARBOR, Florida – The thermometer read 48 degrees when Kevin Na arrived at a breezy Innisbrook range for a pre-dawn warm-up ahead of Thursday’s first tee time.
Twenty balls later, the California native retreated back to the clubhouse to wait out the remaining 20 minutes.
“It was too cold,” said Na, who still managed a 1-under 70 that left him two shots behind the quartet sharing the Valspar Championship lead. “I was shivering, and that’s not what I want with the bad back I’ve had the last year.”
Layers of clothes certainly were the order of the day, with a cold front blowing through overnight that made Florida’s west coast feel like a stop on the West Coast Swing.
Temperatures topped out in the low 60s, with morning gusts as high as 20 mph.
At the end of the day, four players -- Matt Every, Pat Perez, Greg Chalmers and Danny Lee -- were safe and warm at 3-under, leading the Valspar Championship.
The others were left to battle the cold and the tough layout at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course.
“I [went] four layers deep,” said Ben Crane, who likewise shot 71. “I should have brought my mittens; that’s how cold it was. You don’t expect that in Florida.”
Said Na: “Once we get past the West Coast, we’re like, ‘Great! Warm weather!’ But not today.”
Definitely not. If anything, Thursday’s chill felt more like an early warm-up at Phoenix or La Quinta or Riviera.
“It was every bit one of the coldest days I’ve seen this year,” said Gary Woodland, the 2012 champion who opened with a 72. “I didn’t know if I had enough clothes today. The cold and the wind were eating through the sweater.”
Michael Putnam, a Washington native, seemed to handle it best. Three early birdies moved him atop the leaderboard for much of the morning, before a bogey at No.16 left him signing for a 69.
“I had a shirt, sweater and another sweater on,” said Putnam, last year’s Web.com Tour earnings leader. “I shed one layer. Most guys maybe shed one. We still had two layers on. It’s not warm – 50 degrees and it’s a tricky wind.”
Relief is just around the corner, however. Though Friday’s early starters again will be greeted by temperatures in the 40s, forecasts expect a quick warming to around 73 degrees.
LEADING ROUND 2 TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71) Players from USA unless stated
68 Matt Every, Pat Perez, Greg Chalmers (Austraia), Danny Lee (New Zealand)
69 Robert Garrigus, Michael Putnam, James Hahn, Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Bill Haas, Tommy Gainey, Matteo Manassero (Italy).
SELECTED OTHER SCORES
70 Russell Knox (Scotland), Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) (T12)
71 Luke Donald (England), Justin Rose (England), Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Darren Clarke (N Ireland) (T26))
72 Paul Casey (England), David Lynn (England) (T45)
73 David Lingmerth (Sweden), Brian Davis (England) (T70)
75 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) (T115)
77 Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) (T137)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
OPENING DAY IN FLORIDA
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
PALM HARBOR, Florida – The thermometer read 48 degrees when Kevin Na arrived at a breezy Innisbrook range for a pre-dawn warm-up ahead of Thursday’s first tee time.
Twenty balls later, the California native retreated back to the clubhouse to wait out the remaining 20 minutes.
“It was too cold,” said Na, who still managed a 1-under 70 that left him two shots behind the quartet sharing the Valspar Championship lead. “I was shivering, and that’s not what I want with the bad back I’ve had the last year.”
Layers of clothes certainly were the order of the day, with a cold front blowing through overnight that made Florida’s west coast feel like a stop on the West Coast Swing.
Temperatures topped out in the low 60s, with morning gusts as high as 20 mph.
At the end of the day, four players -- Matt Every, Pat Perez, Greg Chalmers and Danny Lee -- were safe and warm at 3-under, leading the Valspar Championship.
The others were left to battle the cold and the tough layout at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course.
“I [went] four layers deep,” said Ben Crane, who likewise shot 71. “I should have brought my mittens; that’s how cold it was. You don’t expect that in Florida.”
Said Na: “Once we get past the West Coast, we’re like, ‘Great! Warm weather!’ But not today.”
Definitely not. If anything, Thursday’s chill felt more like an early warm-up at Phoenix or La Quinta or Riviera.
“It was every bit one of the coldest days I’ve seen this year,” said Gary Woodland, the 2012 champion who opened with a 72. “I didn’t know if I had enough clothes today. The cold and the wind were eating through the sweater.”
Michael Putnam, a Washington native, seemed to handle it best. Three early birdies moved him atop the leaderboard for much of the morning, before a bogey at No.16 left him signing for a 69.
“I had a shirt, sweater and another sweater on,” said Putnam, last year’s Web.com Tour earnings leader. “I shed one layer. Most guys maybe shed one. We still had two layers on. It’s not warm – 50 degrees and it’s a tricky wind.”
Relief is just around the corner, however. Though Friday’s early starters again will be greeted by temperatures in the 40s, forecasts expect a quick warming to around 73 degrees.
LEADING ROUND 2 TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71) Players from USA unless stated
68 Matt Every, Pat Perez, Greg Chalmers (Austraia), Danny Lee (New Zealand)
69 Robert Garrigus, Michael Putnam, James Hahn, Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium), Bill Haas, Tommy Gainey, Matteo Manassero (Italy).
SELECTED OTHER SCORES
70 Russell Knox (Scotland), Freddie Jacobson (Sweden) (T12)
71 Luke Donald (England), Justin Rose (England), Carl Pettersson (Sweden), Darren Clarke (N Ireland) (T26))
72 Paul Casey (England), David Lynn (England) (T45)
73 David Lingmerth (Sweden), Brian Davis (England) (T70)
75 Padraig Harrington (Ireland) (T115)
77 Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) (T137)
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: US PGA TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Friday, March 14, 2014
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