Allenby in pursuit of leader Barlow

Craig Barlow shot a 7-under-par 65 on Friday to take sole possession of the lead at the $3.5 million Air Canada Championship.

Australian Robert Allenby, coming off a tie for second at the World Golf Championship NEC Invitational last week outside Seattle, shot a bogey-free 9-under 62 on the 7,069-yard Northview Golf and Country Club course to leave him one shot off the lead.

Allenby's playing partner David Gossett and fellow Australian Peter Lonard are both also one shot back at 9-under 133.

After enduring a pair of late-season surgeries last year and missing more cuts than he made so far this year, Barlow admits he was a little frustrated with golf.

But the 30-year-old Nevada native never lost his cool and his patience may finally be paying off.

"Yes, it's been frustrating, but I promised myself through this whole thing that I was going to be patient, said Barlow, who heads into the weekend with a 1-stroke lead over three players. "It's hard to perform against the best golfers in the world when your body is not allowing you to do it."

Barlow had a hip operation last September and shoulder surgery two months later. Since then, he's missed eight cuts in 15 starts.

"I knew it was going to be a long road and I just tried to stay patient and trust in my abilities," added Barlow, who started to show signs of a turnaround with a tie for seventh at the International in early August. "I'm starting to see the result of that."

For Allenby, who had to bounce back from an even-par start Thursday, the 62 was a new professional-best round and also came within a stroke of the course record.

"I'm disappointed I didn't get the course record today because it actually would have been three weeks in a row," said Allenby, who set the mark at Sahalee with a 63 last week and grabbed a share of the Hazeltine record with a 66 during the PGA Championship two weeks ago. "I was wondering what the course record is. I wish someone would have told me."

One record was set on Friday. Stan Utley, a 40-year-old Tour veteran whose last win came in 1989, made six putts on the front nine to set a new standard on Tour, but he was only 1-under par when he made the turn.

"To be honest you have to hit it really bad," said Utley, who chipped in once from 30 feet, holed two bunker shots and one-putted six times.

Utley added 14 more putts on the back nine to finish with 20 total in his second round, two more than the 18-hole record. He finished at 7-over 149 and missed the cut.

The threesome of Allenby, Gossett and Steve Lowery were a combined 18 under for the day - and that's after Lowery bogeyed the final two holes to finish with his second straight 67.

"It was one of those days where we all played well at the start," said Allenby, who had five birdies on the front nine and four more on the back. "Both of them started at 4 under and I was just trying to catch them. I caught them, overtook them and stayed with them.

The late bogeys left Lowery tied with Gene Sauers and Kevin Sutherland at 8 under, two shots off the lead. Four more players are at 7 under.

Even with Lowery's late lapse, his trio finished a combined 26-under after two days together.

"That's some good golf," said Gossett, who shot 66 Friday to end a streak of three-straight missed cuts. "Robert got off to a quick start. I was just trying to keep up with those guys."

Overnight dew, morning clouds and very little wind left players firing at the pin most of the morning before the sun and increased wind started to dry out the fairways and harden up the greens in the early afternoon.

Barlow, playing in the second group off the first tee, actually got to 11 under before driving through the fairway on the 430-yard, par-4 18th.

He was forced to pitch out sideways in front of the water, which led to his second bogey of the day - and just his fourth of the tournament.

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