Four way tie at Arnold Palmer
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational | Round Two | 27 Mar 2010
Four players are tied in the lead at the completion of 36 holes of the Arnold Palmer Championship at Bay Hill Lodge in Orlando.
At 7 under, Ernie Els, D.J. Trahan, Davis Love III and Ben Curtis have a narrow one shot lead over Retief Goosen, Kevin Na and an improved Phil Mickelson.
A previous winner of this event and a player whose form has been steadily improving of late, Els recovered from two early bogeys for a round of 69 to share the lead.
With the Masters only two weeks away Els talked of just what a huge week it will be at Augusta national this year. "I think it’s obviously going to be the biggest thing in sport that week. Not that Augusta has to shy away from anything, but especially with Tiger coming back, I think it’s going to be unbelievably big.
I’m not sure how all of the press, all of the journalists from around the world are going to get into the gate at Augusta, but I’m sure you guys will be okay. It’s going to be a huge event, and I think one of the positives from Tiger’s perspective, I think doing his press conference Monday and getting it out of the way for his sake and everybody’s sake. I think you’re absolutely right.
I think a lot of the golf — people are not going to be talking about losing form until probably Thursday morning when we start the event. It’s going to be all about Tiger and him coming back and everything. So I think we will all be sideshows until Thursday morning. And I think we’re fine with that. Everybody’s fine with that."
Just one shot behind the leading foursome are Goosen, Na and Mickelson with Mickelson in particular excited about what lies ahead. "I’m looking forward to the weekend. It was a good day today. It was an interesting day. I played the front nine very good, very solid, four birdies, no mistakes, nice round.
And my back nine, which is the front, seemed to be a bit up-and-down. I had penalty shots. I had actually three penalty shots, as well as a hole-out and some birdies up-and-down. I turned with 1-under; nobody cares about that. I shot 1-under that side, 5-under for the round.
It was my best putting round of the year and I feel so much better with the flat stick. I feel so much better on the greens, I have much better direction and I spent a bunch of time with Dave Stockton and I feel like I don’t have to attack every pin, and I can still make birdies. I can just make those 15-, 20-footers. So it was a little bit different feel to the round today."
Goosen also appears to be warming to his task as Augusta National approaches. The South African has yet to win the Masters but he has been close on several occasions and this year could well see him breaking through such has been his form in recent weeks.
“I think it’s great,” said Goosen referring to the changes made to the course. "I think Arnold’s done a great job here. He’s flattened out some of the greens and so you can put the pins closer to some of the bunkers and water hazards.
Some of the run-offs are a great idea, too. Sort of gives the guys a little bit of preparation for Augusta. I think the course is certainly really set up perfectly now."
The leading Australians at the halfway stage are Robert Allenby and Jason Day at 3 under and in a share of 16th position. Allenby had an ordinary day on the greens today after a brilliant back nine yesterday. He is still however only four from the lead.
Day has finally found some form and after a triple bogey at his very first hole on Thursday this has been an encouraging recovery.
Nathan Green is one shot further back at 2 under, Marc Leishman at 1 under, Stuart Appleby and Rod Pampling at even par and John Senden at 1 over completing the Australians to make the cut.
