Perez takes three shot advantage

Tour rookie Pat Perez took the lead on Friday at the Monterey Peninsula Classic.

Perez, one of only four golfers to record consecutive under-par scores during the first two rounds of play at the Bayonet Golf Course, moved to 6-under-par 138 after his second-round 70. He has a three-stroke lead over Arron Oberholser (70) and Rob Bradley (70). Michael Allen (71) and first-round leader Conrad Ray (75) are tied for fourth, while David Berganio, Jr. (70)and Charley Hoffman (74) are tied for sixth, five strokes behind the leader.

Perez began the second round in the same fashion as the first -- a birdie followed by a double-bogey.

"The double, I don't know how it happened, it just happened so fast," said Perez, who made his seventh consecutive cut. "You don't really know how to stop it.

"This course can get you as fast as you can get it."

Perez, who started the day at 4 under, made bogey on the fifth hole to drop to 2 under but then ran off five birdies over the next 11 holes to move his lead to five strokes. A bogey on No. 18 cut his lead to four as he headed for the clubhouse.

"It's just nice to have a lead that's pretty good," said the 24-year-old. "It gives you a little more confidence. These guys can shoot low any day, that's why these (tournaments) are 72 holes."

"Out here you get surprised more than you believe. I don't know if it's possible to shoot a 64 out here, it's awfully tough. But I wouldn't be surprised to see someone shoot 5 or 6 under again."

Perez speaks from experience as he used a 6-under-par 66 to move within a stroke of the leader after 54 holes at the BUY.COM Ozarks Open and then won the event. He is one of 14 come-from-behind winners on the TOUR this season.

Oberholser is making the most of his opportunity as a sponsor's exemption to the event after finishing second on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit.

"It's fantastic," said Oberholser, 1998 graduate of San Jose State. "I don't get to play in a lot of these during the year. I just want to make the most of it.

"I know this golf course probably better than anyone in the field and I don't think that's going out on a limb saying that. I've played here competitively bunches of times since I was 16 years old. There isn't a shot on this golf course I haven't seen. Whether it's in the trees or out in the fairways. I have no fear out here. I have no fear."

Oberholser could be a couple shots closer if not for a double bogey on the 18th hole Thursday to end his first round.

"It bothered me a little bit but I know this golf course so well," he said. "I laughed it off as much as I could but that was a great example of 17 holes of perfect golf -- no bogeys and three birdies on three tough holes. You get to No. 18, you hit it right down the middle and you make double. That can happen out here. I'm sure it's happened to a bunch of guys this week."

Bradley also ended Thursday on a sour note with a bogey on the ninth hole but shook it off with a birdie on No. 1 to start his second round. The key Friday was a 25-foot putt from the back fringe on No. 10, which he sank for an eagle.

"There are probably five or six holes out here that you really need to play well and take advantage of the par 5s and I've done that so far," said Bradley, who is 58th on the money list.

Ray took it all the way to 7 under with two birdies in his first four holes before the bottom fell out.

"I was fortunate to play well enough yesterday and get off to a good start," said Ray, who had three bogeys and a double-bogey the rest of the way. "I made a couple of nice putts early but I really all in all didn't hit it that well. I think my tempo was just a little off today. Never really felt comfortable out there."

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