Calcavecchia takes over halfway lead

Mark Calcavecchia is enjoying his weekend out of the PGA Tour spotlight.

The three-time Phoenix Open winner and 1989 British Open champion birdied three par-5s and eagled the fourth during a 7-under-par 65 Friday that lifted him to a one-shot lead over Billy Mayfair at the Chrysler Classic.

Calcavecchia didn't apologize for tearing up another accommodating desert course or pretend to miss the shag-carpet rough of majors. In fact, he's having fun at this low-key tournament.

``There are plenty of other wedge holes out there where you've got a wedge in your hand, and you try to birdie some of those,'' Calcavecchia said.

His 15-under 129 was one stroke off the 36-hole record for Tucson National. David Duval had a 128 on his way to the 1998 title.

``It's just an enjoyable course to play in that sense,'' Calcavecchia added. ``It's not hard. You know, it's pretty defenseless, and if you play well you're going to shoot a good score, and that's what's fun about it.''

Counting Geoff Ogilvy, the final threesome in Saturday's third round will be a congenial group -- all are Phoenix-area residents and friends.

Mayfair and his wife went to Ogilvy's wedding, and Calcavecchia and Mayfair were in a playoff in Milwaukee in 1991 (Mayfair won). They teamed up to play in unofficial-money events as a twosome for several years.

``Billy is still looking good,'' Calcavecchia said. ``We've played a lot of golf together.''

Mayfair shot 67 Friday for his 130. Ogilvy, with a 66, pulled in at 131 along with Gavin Coles and Lucas Glover.

Kevin Sutherland shot a 63 to match the opening-round scores of Mayfair and Mario Tiziani for best of the tournament and joined Doug Barron, Esteban Toledo, Joe Ogilvie and Steve Stricker at 132.

Danny Briggs, Brent Geiberger and Kevin Na were at 133.

David Frost, who won in Tucson in 1988, carded his second straight 67 and was grouped with Tom Scherrer, Jason Allred and Darron Stiles five shots back, while Tiziani was in a group of seven at 135.

Seventy players made the cut at 5-under 139, including Frost and three other former Tucson champions.

Andrew Magee (1994), Jim Carter (2000) and Garrett Willis (2001) all got to play the weekend, Carter at 138 and Magee and Willis at 139.

But Duval didn't make it after following up on a 69 -- his only below-par round of 12 played this year -- by shooting 73. Former champions Larry Mize (1993), Gabriel Hjertstedt (1999) and Heath Slocum (2004) missed the cut as well.

Calcavecchia, a late starter on the back nine, made a 50-foot eagle putt on the next-to-last hole, just enough to overtake Mayfair.

Calcavecchia reached the green on No. 8, a 528-yard par-5, with a 3-wood second shot before sinking his second long putt of the tournament. He made a 60-footer for birdie on Thursday.

Earlier, he made four birdies in 10 holes and sank a 25-foot putt for birdie on his 14th hole to set up the eagle.

Calcavecchia has won 11 titles, but none since his memorable 2001 triumph in Phoenix, where he shot a 60 and set or tied seven PGA Tour records with a 28-under 256.

He finished 17th on the money list that year, but since then has lost ground -- to 53rd, 65th and 112th. Before Tucson, he had made two cuts in four events this year.

Mayfair played his second bogey-free round and birdied five of the first 13 holes before parring out.

``I really kind of got the whole round going when I birdied 10, 11 and 13 then kind of coasted,'' he said. ``I didn't hit the ball as good today as maybe I did yesterday, but I still gave myself a lot of birdie putts.''

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