BETHESDA, Md. - Jordan Spieth, playing with nothing to lose, gave himself another chance to win going into the weekend at the AT&T National.
Spieth hit every green in regulation Friday and extended his streak to 29 holes without a bogey on a tough Congressional course, giving him a 5-under 66 and a share of the lead with Roberto Castro(69) before storms halted the second round.
They were at 7-under 135, with the round to be completed this morning.
Players went back out to the practice range after a two-hour delay, only for more storms to approach and extended the suspension until the PGA Tour called it for the day. Andres Romero was at 5 under with five holes remaining. No one else was within four shots of the lead.
Spieth is the 19-year-old Texan who started the season with no status, uncertain where he was going to play. He now has earned more than $900,000 - the equivalent of being No. 39 on the PGA Tour money list - and is assured of a tour card when the new season starts in October.
But he won’t be eligible for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs unless he’s a PGA Tour member, and he can’t be a member this year unless he wins.
“Honestly, I think it’s a great position to be in,” Spieth said. “I’m just free swinging. I can’t be in the playoffs unless I win, and that makes winning the No. 1 goal. You’d like to get in the playoffs and play against the top players, the best players from this year.It’s everyone’s goal out here to win the FedEx Cup. My goal is to move up the world rankings as much as I can, and that’s the way to do it, is to get into those playoffs.”
D.H. Lee had a 66 and was two shots behind at 5-under 139. Cameron Tringale (67) and James Driscoll (69) were another shot behind, while the group at 3-under 139 included former British Open champion Stewart Cink (69), Gary Woodland (69) and David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks), who went from around the cut line to contention with six birdies and a 65.
Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) had an eagle on the first hole, holing his second shot from 122 yards on the par-4 hole, a bogey on the second and shot par on the next six before play was interrupted. Bryce Molder (Conway) had 4 birdies, 2 bogeys and 1 double bogey for an even-par round of 71 to complete 36 holes at 1-over 143. Tag Ridings (Razorbacks) had one birdie through six holes before play was interrupted.
Spieth has lived up to the hype he first generated when he played late Sunday in the Byron Nelson Championship at age 16 and tied for 16th. In his one year at Texas, the Longhorns won the NCAA title. In six months as a pro, he has shown quickly that he belongs.
He already has four top-10s and has special temporary membership, meaning he gets unlimited exemptions. His goal was to somehow get a PGA Tour card for 2013-14 season, and a victory would be over the top.
Even so, the teenager who was born just three years before Tiger Woods turned pro is savvy to realize the tournament is not even halfway over.
“I’ve gotten in a position where I can play a pretty full schedule this year,” he said, “and I know I’ll have my card for next year. Now all there’s left to do is try and get a win to make the playoffs.
“I’m just going out there trying to win and being aggressive, and hopefully, it will work out for me.”CHAMPIONS TOUR Couples leads at 11 under
PITTSBURGH - Fred Couples roared through his first 11 holes in the second round of the Senior Players Championship, ripping off seven birdies at water-logged Fox Chapel to take the lead at 11 under.
Then the weather managed to do what the defenseless course could not, stopping the Hall of Famer with a sudden downpour that suspended play for the day with most of the field still on the course.
EUROPEAN PGA TOUR Uihlein, Rock share lead
MAYNOOTH, Ireland - American Peter Uihlein and England’s Robert Rock shared the second-round lead in the Irish Open, while second-ranked Rory McIlroy missed the cut.
Uihlein, the former Oklahoma State player who won the Madeira Islands Open last month, had a 4-under 68 to match Rock (66) at 9-under 135 at Carton House.
WEB.COM TOUR
Hurley leads with 68
NEWBURGH, Ind. - Billy Hurley III shot a 4-under 68 to lead the pack Friday after the second round of the United Leasing Championship at Victoria National Golf Club.
Hurley had a two-day total of 7-under 137.
Joe Affrunti and Kevin Tway were tied for second at 139. Affrunti had a 3-under 69 for the day and Tway shot an even-par 72.
Ron Whittaker (Little Rock) had three birdies and three bogeys for an even-par 72.
Sports, Pages 19 on 06/29/2013