Rinker maintains narrow lead

Larry Rinker admits he’s done very little wrong through the first 36 holes of the $400,000 BUY.COM Shreveport Open.

His tee shots are finding the fairways with regularity. He’s hit 33-of-36 greens in regulation and he’s making his fair share of putts. As a result, the 42-year old Rinker owns a two-stroke lead over Kent Jones, who posted a back-nine 29 Friday to get into contention.

Rinker followed up Thursday’s opening 64 with a 4-under-par 68 to move to 12 under for the tournament. Jones, who is 10 under, put together the day’s best round at Southern Trace Country Club, matching Rinker’s 64 with one of his own, thanks to an eagle 2 on the 438-yard 18th hole.

Garrett Willis, who shot 67 Friday, and Tripp Isenhour (68), winner of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic, are at 9-under-par 135. Brian Claar (68), Keith Clearwater (69) and Danny Briggs (70) are the only other players within four strokes.

A total of 66 players in the field of 144 made the cut, which came at 1-under-par 143.

"I thought if I could put another good score up today after yesterday, I might be able to separate myself from some of the field," said Rinker. "I’m hitting the ball pretty much where I’m looking. It’s a lot of fun when you’ve got the green light on and you can just go. It’s rare you get everything going, but right now I’ve got it rocking."

His rocking has the rest of the field rolling. Rinker, whose only PGA TOUR-related victory came at the 1985 JCPenney/Mixed Team Classic, has shredded the course with 15 birdies.

"When you’re ahead you know you’re going to make some birdies," said Rinker. "I have learned from my experience that after two rounds, you’re not even close to being home. I’ve still got to play aggressive and still got to make birdies."

It seems that won’t be a problem for Rinker, who did stumble briefly when he missed a couple short putts. Two of his three bogeys were the result of three-putting a pair of par 3s. His other bogey came when he missed a 5-footer.

The first sign of trouble came early in his round when he bogeyed Nos. 3 and 4 to fall to 7 under and out of the lead.

"I watched the leaderboard enough so that I knew where I was," Rinker said. "I knew that when I went down to 7 under, I wasn’t in the lead anymore."

The stumble didn’t last long, though, as Rinker made birdie putts from 12, 15 and 18 feet on three of the next four holes to regain a share of the lead with Willis, who was cruising along at 6 under through his first 14 holes. When Rinker three-putted No. 13, he again righted himself with birdies at Nos. 14 and 15.

"When you can come back from bogeys like that on both occasions and make birdies, you’re playing well," he said.

Rinker, a member of the PGA TOUR since 1981, will get no argument from those chasing him.

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