WENTWORTH, 29 May 2004 — A rampaging Justin Rose went on a birdie blitz in near ideal conditions here yesterday to put himself top of the leaderboard in the second round of the PGA Championship.
But Welshman Stephen Dodd, in the third last group of the day, was still out on the course at nine-under with seven holes to play — including three par fives.
The 23-year-old Rose, who has been struggling all season, fired a six-under 66 to be 11-under for the championship and two ahead of first round leader Ernie Els who struggled to a one-under 71. Also two back from Rose were Darren Clarke, Phillip Price and Joakim Haeggman.
Welshman Price produced a stunning finish to his second round — closing with five straight birdies for a seven-under 65, his lowest round of the season.
Playing partner and fellow Welshman Ian Woosnam had a nightmare day. Woosnam began the day on level par but by the time he walked off the 18th green he had slipped to 10-over par, and on his way home.
Clarke, who has been threatening a win all season, kept himself firmly in the mix thanks to his five-under 67 to go with his opening 68.
Vijay Singh, so keen to take over the world No. 1 spot from Tiger Woods, risks dropping from two to three in the world rankings after an error-strewn second round. The former Masters champion was unable to build on Thursday’s opening six-under 66 as he slipped back to five-under. He finished with a one-over 73.
Colin Montgomerie, battling the tribulations of a very public divorce, ensured he would be busy at the weekend by shooting another two-under 70.
Taylor Stakes Early St. Jude Classic Lead
In Germantown, Tenn., little-known Vaughn Taylor shot a five-under-par 66 to forge a one-shot lead after the first round of the St. Jude Classic yesterday. Taylor holds the single-stroke advantage over defending champion David Toms and Paul Stankowski.
Stewart Cink, who won the MCI Heritage earlier this season, shares fourth place on 68 with China’s Zhang Lian-wei and Japan’s Hirofumi Miyase.
Brent Geiberger and Patrick Sheehan are tied for seventh, a further stroke behind.
Twice major champion John Daly had an even-par round of 71 and is in joint 22nd place.
Only three of the top 25 in the world rankings, Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson (ranked 22nd), Toms (16th) and Cink (23rd), are in the field. Just four players who have won on the PGA Tour in 2004, Heath Slocum, Australia’s Craig Parry, Daly and Cink, are playing.
Sorenstam, Neumann Atop at LPGA Corning Classic
In New York, Annika Sorenstam and fellow Swede Liselotte Nuemann carded seven-under-par 65s Thursday to share the lead after the opening round of the one million-dollar Corning Classic.
Audra Burks, Natalie Gulbis, Nancy Harvey and Lee Ann Walker-Cooper are one shot off the lead. Defending champion Juli Inkster, seeking an LPGA title for the ninth straight season, shot a 73. She has finished better than 21st just once in 2004.
Sherri Steinhauer, who captured last week’s 1.25 million-dollar Sybase Classic, heads a quartet of golfers at five-under. Michelle Estill, Hilary Lunke and Catriona Matthew also carded 67.
