Goydos leads by three in San Antonio
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Valero Texas Open | Round Two | 16 May 2009
Paul Goydos has established a commanding lead after the second round of the Valero Texas Open. Goydos has played the event on 11 occasions and has yet to miss the cut.
“I’ve got a history here of shooting good rounds,” said Goydos after his second round. “Again, the history of playing good tournaments, I’ve played in the last group here on Saturday a couple of times, and I just happened to play four rounds here.”
“But again, you come to a place, again, this week 128. I think I’ve shot 64 here before. To me, it’s a touch easier to stay patient and you make a few pars or do something and I bogeyed the first hole, again, today, but it’s a golf course where I’ve made birdies before and maybe you hang in there a little better when you’ve had that success.”
Goydos had started the year poorly but there have been significant off course issues perhaps keeping him from playing at his best. The death of his ex wife Wendy earlier this year has clearly been a distraction but he has made the perfect start this week and could well go on with it.
Goydos leads by three over three time Texas Open champion, Justin Leonard – another with a comfort zone at La Cantera, Ted Purdy, Mathias Gronberg, John Mallinger and the late finisher Scott Sterling.
Mallinger continued on form his very impressive third place finish last week at the Players Championship.
The best of the Australians at the halfway mark is the Victorian, Marc Leishman, who continues his good record in this part of the United States. Leishman is in a share of 10th place at 7 under and five behind but it was in the west of Texas in October of last year when Leishman set a Nationwide Tour winning margin at the WNB event in Midland by 11 shots.
Aron Price is in 18th position after a round of 66, Greg Chalmers and Matt Jones are 25th, James Nitties are 37th and Nathan Green just snuck in with a late birdie to make the cut.
