Bet on this tournament & other sports here

Perry moves three shots clear

Kenny Perry fired a flawless round of eight- under 63 to seize a three-shot lead after Friday's second round of the Greater Milwaukee Open at Brown Deer Park Golf Course. Perry, the lone player in the field to go 36 holes without a bogey, has a two-day total of 13-under-par 129.

The 40-year-old Perry, who tied for third here last year, is in search of his fourth career victory and his first since the 1995 Bob Hope Classic.

"Tee to green, my game's been good," said Perry, who has recorded three top-10 finishes in his last five starts prior to this week. "I'm very comfortable with my game. It's time for me to win again."

Perry made four birdies on each nine -- including four over a five-hole span on his inward side -- en route to tying the tournament record for the biggest lead after two rounds.

Chris Smith shot his second straight 66 for 10-under 132. He is among six players in the current top 10 looking to take advantage of the light field this week and break into the winner's circle for the first time.

The other non-winners within five shots of the lead were Australian Craig Spence and Japan's Shigeki Maruyama at nine-under, and Briny Baird, Marco Dawson and Esteban Toledo of Mexico at minus-eight.

1999 Greater Hartford Open champion Brent Geiberger, three-time winner Steve Stricker and five-time champ Blaine McCallister round out the top 10.

First-round leader Jay Haas and former Greater Milwaukee Open winners Scott Hoch and Jeff Sluman are six strokes off the pace.

The Milwaukee-born Skip Kendall, who was told during Wednesday's pro-am that his 77-year-old father, Ralph, passed away at his home in Arizona, turned in a courageous 67 at the course he grew up playing.

Kendall wanted to return to his parents' home in Arizona before the start of the event, but was told by his mother, Shirley, that it was his father's deathbed wish for his son to play the GMO.

"He was ill for a long time and he went peacefully, so we're very happy about that," said Shirley Kendall, who flew to Milwaukee to watch the rest of the tournament.

Kendall stands 11 shots back of Perry at minus-two.

The 36-hole cut fell at one-under-par 141 and included defending champion Loren Roberts.

Roberts, in danger of missing his first GMO cut since the event moved to Brown Deer seven years ago, battled back from a first-round 74 to shoot a four-under 67 that he capped with birdies at the last two holes Friday.

"I played better today. I didn't make as many mistakes," said Roberts, who also won this tournament in 1996 and finished runner-up in '94 and '97. "I feel like I'm finally turning the corner. I've been playing so bad sometimes I'm almost embarrassed at the shots I hit."

A total of 88 players survived to play on the weekend, the highest number of players to make the cut in a PGA Tour event this season. In fact, it was the most players to make a cut on tour since the 1999 GMO.

Green Bay native Nick Gilliam, the NCAA individual titlist from the University of Florida, seemed in good shape after opening with a 70 on Thursday. However, he collected eight bogeys and just one birdie Friday to miss the cut in his professional debut.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page