| Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, 4th September 1998
- Chris Perry tied the course record with a 9-under-par 62 that
included two eagles and moved into a tie for the second-round lead of the Greater
Milwaukee Open with Mark Calcavecchia, who had a 64 today. Perry,
the son of former major league pitcher Jim Perry and nephew of Hall of Famer Gaylord
Perry, birdied the final hole to become the third player this week -- and second
today -- to match the course record at Brown Deer Park golf course. Loren
Roberts had an opening-round 62, while Nolan Henke matched that today, tying the
record he set in 1996. Perry
and Calcavecchia, who is looking for his first win in this tournament in his 18th
start, were tied at 12-under 130. One
stroke back was homestate favorite Steve Stricker, whose first child was born
just four days ago. He had a second-round 63. Perry
was honest in assessing his career-best round that featured a 24-foot eagle putt
on No. 6, a par-5, and a 17-footer for a 3 on No. 18. "It's
not often you have someone going crazy like that,'' he said. "It is kind
of fun. It was just one of those days in which everything went right.'' Two
strokes off the lead were Roberts, who had a 70, Mark Carnevale, 66, Henke, 62,
and John Maginnes, 65. Defending
champion Scott Hoch and PGA champion Vijay Singh were seven strokes behind the
leaders. Mark
Brooks, the 1991 champion, walked off the course at No. 14 and withdrew. He was
10-over par at the time. Calcavecchia
said he did a good job of relaxing and not thinking too much. "I
didn't even know how far under I was. That was good. No thinking ahead. I played
real solid,'' he said. "It is nice to be back in the hunt again.'' Stricker's
play and the big crowd that followed him impressed playing partner Woody Austin.
"Hometown
stud, man,'' Austin told Willie Wood as the threesome waited at one tee box. "We
are just the comic relief, Willie.'' "This
tournament means a lot to me,'' Stricker said. "There just wouldn't be a
more special tournament for me to win than here in Milwaukee.'' Stricker's
confidence was so high he hit drivers off the fairway, including at No. 15 where
it got him a 25-foot putt for eagle that he made. "I'm
excited,'' he said. "I felt a little bit more aggressive. The driver I hit
on No. 6 off the fairway really pumped me up.'' Stricker's
wife, Nicki, who had been his caddie until becoming pregnant, gave birth Monday
to a daughter, Bobbie Jean, in Madison, about 75 miles away. Stricker, 31, didn't
arrive at Brown Deer on Thursday until two hours before he teed off and battled
the woes of little sleep. Today
was a different story. "I
didn't feel so rushed starting out. I felt like I was in the tournament atmosphere,''
Stricker said. Stricker
said he wasn't worried that all the emotions of the week would leave him drained
going into the weekend rounds, even though he admitted the recent developments
in his life, including a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, felt like a
"whirlwind'' "Just
riding on adrenaline alone, I should be able to make it through without a problem,''
he said. Calcavecchia
said the battle against Stricker and the big crowds he's expected to attract should
be fun. "Everything
is right on the money for Steve Stricker right now,'' Calcavecchia said. "He
just had a baby girl and now he's trying to win his home tournament so he's a
happy man. When you are happy out here, it's a lot easier to play good.''
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