Bob Tway leads into the weekend

A reluctant change to the belly putter is starting to look like a brilliant decision by Bob Tway, who had a 4-under 68 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead in the Ford Championship at Doral.

Tway made the switch a month ago and is getting more comfortable each week. He had three birdies over his final five holes on a steamy afternoon in south Florida to surge into the lead at 11-under 133.

Jim Furyk also closed strong with three straight birdies and a 6-foot par save on the 18th for a 6-under 66, putting him at 134. Carlos Franco (68) and first-round leader Rod Pampling (71) were another stroke back.

The 36-hole lead is a rare position for Tway, a former PGA champion who hasn't won on the PGA Tour in nearly eight years.

He had a chance last year at Memorial, leading by one stroke going into the final round until he bogeyed the first two holes, shot 73 and finished three behind.

"I didn't play good on Sunday a lot last year or I would have had a much better year," Tway said. "I think what happens is you haven't been in the hunt as often and you really would like to win, so you go out and try way too hard."

He's very much in contention on the Blue Monster, and he can thank his belly putter for that. Tway has taken only 52 putts for the first two rounds, and the best might have been his 12-foot par save on No. 18 after having to lay up short of the green from the rough.

The belly putter, first made popular by Paul Azinger in 1999, has a long handle that sticks into the stomach as an anchor. Tway doesn't think they should be allowed, but he's not about to lodge a protest.

"People are playing well with them, so you might as well try it," he said.

He can only hope it carries him through what figures to be a wide-open weekend. There were 21 players within five shots of the lead, including Mike Weir of Canada, who leads the PGA Tour money list and already has won twice.

Weir got some kinks worked out of his lower left back and shot a 67, leaving him in a large group at 137.

The weekend won't include a Nicklaus.

Jack Nicklaus took a double bogey on No. 4 and shot another 73 to miss the cut by three shots. Gary Nicklaus had a 76 and finished one stroke behind his father.

Also gone is David Duval, who has made the cut in only one of four stroke-play events this year and was knocked out of the first round at the Match Play Championship.

Friday was particularly ugly.

Duval bogeyed his final four holes and shot an 80, his highest score in 159 PGA Tour events over seven years. He had an 83 in the first round at Doral in 1996, then withdrew with a shoulder injury. He has had only one other round in the 80s in his tour career.

"I've got nothing to say, but I appreciate it," Duval said.

Furyk has won six of his seven tournaments on Bermuda greens, including Doral in 2000 when he made up six shots on the back nine to win.

What helped him Friday were the par 5s. Furyk had eagle putts on three of them and converted at No. 8 after a 3-wood into 20 feet.

The best of his round came later. He hit a 7-iron into 3 feet on par-3 15th, holed a 25-foot putt from just off the green on the next hole, and made his third straight birdie from about 20 feet left the hole on No. 17.

"It was a good round and a good finish," Furyk said. "I need to carry that over to tomorrow."

Pampling is getting further removed from his infamy of missing the cut at the 1999 British Open after taking the first-round lead. He made a 15-foot eagle putt on his 10th hole, the par-5 first, and was in control until back-to-back bogeys late in his round.

Still, he was in good position going into the weekend.

"I hit four bad shots off the tee, and made bogey on all four of them," he said. "I'll correct those bad shots and I'll be fine."

Franco fixed his putting and is feeling better than ever about his game. A three-time winner on tour, Franco hasn't cracked the top 100 on the money list the last two years, or finished higher than 10th.

Most people think he doesn't spend enough time on the practice range, but Franco says his problem was on the greens.

"Long time I no see the first two rounds (at) 9 under," he said. "My game is very similar the last two years because only my putter no work. Now it works a little bit. No chance of over par now."

And yes, the 37-year-old from Paraguay is hitting a few more balls - but not many.

"I try a couple of shots, 20 balls, 25, and start to play, you know?" he said. painful," Hoch said. "It's just keeping me from swinging like I need to." ... David Toms had a 75 and missed his third straight cut in a stroke-play event. The former PGA champion was runner-up to Tiger Woods last week in the Match Play Championship.

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