Henninger gains narrow halfway advantage

Brian Henninger matched the course record with a 9-under-par 63 today to take a one-stroke lead over Peter Jacobsen and Steve Flesch in the Reno-Tahoe Open.

Henninger's bogey-free round included nine birdies, eight of those putts from 8 feet or closer. He had a 10-under 134 total.

Notah Begay also shot a 63 last year en route to his victory on the 7,552-yard Montreux Golf and Country Club, the second longest course on the PGA Tour behind Castle Pines.

"You never know when these kinds of rounds are going to show up,'' said Henninger, 37, who had a second-round 63 en route to a tie for sixth place in the Western Open last month.

"If you get a couple of these a year it's a lot of fun and today was one of them,'' he said. "I hit to within 10 to 15 feet of the pin a lot of the time today.''

Henninger, whose career earnings total $2.5 million, won the Southern Farm Bureau Classic last year. He's 103rd on the money list this year with $354,558. The winner's check at Reno is worth $540,000.

Scott McCarron, who was tied for the lead after the first round with a 66, chipped in from 40 yards for an eagle on his last hole Friday for a 70, two strokes off the lead at 8-under along with Bob May of Las Vegas and Mathew Goggin of Australia.

May, who narrowly lost a playoff to Tiger Woods last week in the PGA Championship, birdied five holes for a 67 to go with his opening round 69.

"There's a lot of golf to be played. I feel good about my position,'' May said.

David Toms shot a 65 to pull within three strokes of the lead, and Spanish star Sergio Garcia rebounded from an even-par opening round with a 67 to move within striking distance at 5 under. France's Jean Van de Velde shot a 71 to move to 6 under.

Garcia's 12-foot birdie attempt at the 18th lipped 360-degrees around the hole before missing.

``That was pretty unlucky,'' Garcia said. ``One shot is a big difference going into the weekend. But I hit the ball better today and I putted pretty well.''

McCarron played at UCLA and Henninger at rival Southern California, but they recently learned they were born in the same hospital, Sutter Memorial in Sacramento, Calif.

``Isn't that weird?'' said Henninger, who now lives in Wilsonville, Ore. Their two families were headed to the beach at nearby Lake Tahoe Friday afternoon.

``Nice round, buddy,'' McCarron told Henninger as he entered the media tent. ``Are you ready for some jet skis?''

Jacobsen, trying to win his first PGA Tour tournament since 1995, shot a 69 for a 9-under 135 total.

``I had some good putts for birdies that I didn't make,'' he said Friday. ``It's a tight leaderboard, which is fun.''

Flesch, who has won more than $1 million this year with seven finishes in the top 10, followed his 67 in the first round with a 68 Friday to join Jacobsen tied in second place. More than a dozen players were within five strokes of the lead.

``There's a lot of guys up there, so it's going to be an interesting weekend,'' Flesch said.

Jacobsen, whose Portland-based company is managing the tournament, also is a friend of Henninger. They play together out of the Oregon Golf Club in the Portland area.

``Pound for pound, Brian may be the best player on Tour. He weighs as much as my right leg,'' Jacobsen said.

The PGA Tour guide lists Henninger at 5-foot-8, 155 pounds, but McCarron insisted he is ''135 pounds dripping wet.''

McCarron, who lives in Sacramento and has family in Reno, has a hometown gallery that let out a roar when he chipped in for an eagle at his last hole of the day, the 616-yard, par-5 ninth.

``I lipped out a lot of putts, a lot that looked like they were going in, so I feel I was owed that last one a little bit,'' he said.

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