Chris Couch tops leaderboard

By this point, Chris Couch would be sitting on the couch watching PGA players, but this week he is making the most of a rare chance to compete against golf's elite by leading the Western Open.

Couch fired a bogey-free 67, four-under par, to stand on nine-under 133 after 36 holes at the five million-dollar event to seize a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans Jim Furyk, Tim Herron and Dufy Waldorf.

World number one Tiger Woods, in his final US appearance before the British Open, fired a second-round 66 but remained six strokes off the pace of Couch, who only got to play here by winning a nearby developmental tour event in June.

"Chicago has been good to me so far this year, to say the least," Couch said. "It was a nice opportunity to be here this week. My goal coming into the week was to make the cut and take advantage of what they did for me."

Woods, a three-time champion here, needs only 56,974 dollars to become the first player in US PGA Tour history to reach 50 million dollars in winnings.

Reigning Masters champion Woods had five birdies and an eagle at the par-5 15th with two bogeys, half as many as in his oepning round.

"I played a little bit better but more importantly I putted better," Woods said. "The work I did last night sort of helped."

Couch began his round with nine consecutive pars before firing four birdies on the back nine.

He knocked his approach on the par-4 10th inside six feet for a birdie and followed with another at the 11th after guiding his third shot to two feet. He two-putted for birdie on the par-5 15th and sank a four-foot birdie putt at 17.

"It's still a long tournament and I'm trying not to think too far ahead," Couch said. "I got off to a pretty good start with nine straight pars and got it going on 10."

Couch was among the last to finish Thursday's opening round and had a quick turnaround for a morning start Friday.

"I felt like I never stopped playing really," Couch said. "There wasn't much of a gap there and that may have been good because I played yesterday and it carried over."

Waldorf fired a 65 to match the low round of the day, closing his front nine with three birdies and his back nine with birdies on three of the last five holes.

"I've played well here a few times and I just like the atmosphere of the whole place," Waldorf said. "I feel like it's a place that I could come out here on a Saturday with my dad and play, if we could get a tee time."

First-round co-leader Furyk, who has not won since the 2003 Buick Open, has finished second three times this year and hopes to end his frustrations.

"I had more opportunities yesterday. I hit the ball closer," Furyk said. "Overall I'm happy with the round. I would have liked to have shot better than 1-under but I got myself into good position for the weekend."

Ben Curtis, the 2003 British Open champion, fired an erratic 71 to slide from a share of the lead into fifth place.

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