Barranger leads after second 67

Sometimes Todd Barranger hears his fellow pros complain about the hardships that life has dealt them. Usually they stop when he's around, knowing their own trials and tribulations are nothing compared to what the 31-year Barranger has endured.

Barranger has twice beaten back prostate cancer and is back to playing full-time golf again. And doing it quite well. Friday, Barranger posted his second consecutive 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead at the halfway point of the $400,000 Buy.com Oregon Classic.

His two-day total of 10-under 135 is one stroke better than Rob Bradley (70), two better than Jody Bellflower (67) and three better than Pat Perez (71) and first-round co-leader Craig Kanada (72).

John Kernohan (68), Keoke Cotner (70), Tommy Biershenk (71), Ted Purdy (71) and Paul Gow (70) share sixth place at 5-under 139. A total of 64 players in the field of 144 made the cut, which came at 1-over-par 145.

Barranger was a member of the PGA Tour in 1994 when the cancer was first diagnosed. He had successful surgery to remove the cancer and seemed fine. After playing several different tours around the world, he became a member of the Buy.com Tour in 1997. In October of that year, Barranger was bending down to read a putt when a cancerous tumor burst.

Two more years of chemotherapy and radiation treatment took him completely away from golf.

"The doctors were real upbeat about everything. They weren't worried, so it eased a lot of pain," Barranger said. "I knew it was a matter of time before my health turned around. I just had to be patient until it flipped over. I knew I wasn't going to die from it, that wasn't a concern. It was just waiting until my immune system had time to reform."

Barranger felt good enough in March to finally pick up a club again, though when he returned to competition in May, he had no status on either tour and was forced to Monday qualify to gain entrance into the weekly fields.

So far, so good. Barranger is five-for-five in cuts made on the Buy.com Tour with a third-place finish at the Permian Basin Open last month. He is No. 83 on the money list with $41,923 to his credit. He's also Monday qualified five times in seven attempts this year on the PGA Tour and has made three cuts, earning another $43,767.

"When you don't have any status, you have to (Monday qualify)," he said. "It's one of those deals when you have a chance to play for money, you want it to be as much as you can."

Barranger is in this week after finishing tied for 23rd at last week's Boise Open.

"I actually got a day to practice on my game," he said. "It's some practice I've needed for a few weeks, so it's kind of paying off now."

Barranger spent most of the time working on his putting, and it's paying off big-time. Barranger needed only 23 putts to complete his round despite temperatures in the 60's with north winds steady at 15-25 mph. Friday's scoring average on the 7,007-yard, par-72 course was an eye-popping 74.375, two full strokes above Thursday's average.

"I'm hitting it average, just average," he said. "But I'm putting well. Normally I don't make a bunch of bogeys. When I don't shoot a good score it's usually a lack of birdies."

Barranger has chalked up 11 birdies in his first two days to go along with just one bogey, which came at the 397-yard, second hole Friday after he pull-hooked his drive into the trees and eventually missed a 10-foot putt for par.

From there though, it was smooth sailing in the windy conditions, with three birdies on each nine.

"I don't know what it is about this golf course, but you play 17 holes into the wind," Barranger quipped. "It seems like everything is into you and crossing."

Barranger didn't seem to have too many problems despite hitting only 10 of 18 greens.

"I've been playing well the last three months. In Odessa (Permian Basin), I felt like I should have won that one," he said. "I learned a lot from that week. I hadn't been back in the hunt and the heat of the game for a few years. I wanted to win that tournament but I wasn't upset that I didn't. Now, after being back there and being under it I expect a little more out of myself this time."

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