Haas climbs into lead

After 23 years on the PGA Tour, Jay Haas appreciates every opportunity to win his first major championship.

Tiger Woods expects it.

The ovation grew louder as Haas walked up to the 17th green at Medinah Country Club on his way to a one-stroke lead after two rounds in the PGA Championship. His 18-year-old son was at his side, carrying the bag before he goes off to college.

"I just looked at him and said, 'It's pretty neat, isn't it?' And he just had a big grin on his face," Haas said. "That makes it pretty special for me."

Haas can count on one hand the number of times he has contended in a major championship. A 5-under 67 today gave him a one-stroke lead over Mike Weir, the first time he has held the 36-hole lead in a major since the 1995 Masters.

"You just don't get that many opportunities, period," Haas said. "There's just a handful of guys who threaten every major."

One of those guys is Woods, in the hunt for a major for the third straight time.

"The key is to keep giving yourself chances," Woods said. "And I've done that this year."

He finished third in the U.S. Open. He tied for seventh, four strokes out of the playoff, in the British Open. Already a four-time winner this year, he is playing like his 0-for-10 streak since winning the Masters is about to end.

"Tiger Woods emasculated the golf course," Watson said.

Medinah rejuvenated 54-year-old Hale Irwin and frustrated 19-year-old Sergio Garcia. Above all, it rewarded Haas.

Despite a bogey on the 18th, his first in 24 holes, he finished before the rain and was at 9-under 135. One stroke behind was Weir, the left-handed Canadian who had a share of the lead until making bogeys on two of the last three holes for a 68.

"That's what I've worked for my entire career, to be in position like this," Haas said.

Woods wasted no time getting there once again.

He hit wedge to 18 inches on the first hole, 7-iron to 3 feet on the second hole, then knocked in a 15-foot putt for his third straight birdie. It all added up to a 5-under 67, just two strokes back at 137.

"Guys were going kind of low," Woods said. "You could see Jay Haas playing really well at the time. I saw him at 8-under. That made it a ball game. I knew I needed to keep pace and not let him get too far away."

Lee Westwood was among the 46 players who broke par on another soggy day at Medinah. Skip Kendall set the course record with a 7-under 65 and was at 139, along with Stewart Cink and two other players born 35 years apart.

Jay Haas Jr. is only one year younger than 19-year-old Sergio Garcia, who missed six birdie putts inside 12 feet and wound up with a 1-over 73. His father must feel like a kid compared to Irwin, the senior tour star who had a 69.

"I've played with Hale a long time, and he can still kick my butt," Haas said.

Still, Haas' biggest concern is likely to be Woods.

In control of every facet of his game, Woods made five birdies over the first seven holes and threatened to zoom into the lead. His last birdie was on No. 12, but he also avoided bogey -- nothing to be ashamed of considering that rain fell hard, steady and sometimes sideways over the final six holes.

"I'm very pleased with the way I played under these conditions -- windy, rain, gusty, swirling. It wasn't easy," Woods said. "Somehow, I was able to make par after par after par."

The only Ryder Cup news Friday was on the leaderboard -- and it was enough to make the Americans stop squabbling over the revenue.

Westwood, who was at 6-under 138, and Garcia were among five likely European Ryder Cup players in the top 16 on Friday. Miguel Angel Jimenez was at 140, and Colin Montgomerie and Jesper Parnevik were at 2-under 142.

Also at 142 was Nick Faldo, the most experienced Ryder Cup player ever who could be emerging from his prolonged slump at just the right time.

Some U.S. Ryder Cup hopes fizzled in the rain. Among those missing the cut were Lee Janzen, Tim Herron and John Huston, almost certainly eliminating them from consideration. Greg Norman and Ernie Els were also weekend casualties.

David Duval, No. 1 in the world ranking, missed two short birdie opportunities but still wound up with a 71. He was at 141, along with Jim Furyk and another blast from the past -- 49-year-old Lanny Wadkins.

One day after Garcia stole the show in the final major of the 20th century, the old folks took a stand.

Irwin recaptured his magic at Medinah, where he won the 1990 U.S. Open, with a 3-under 69 that put him only four strokes off the lead.

"I knew he was a great player, but I didn't know he was that good," Garcia said.

Haas hasn't won on the PGA Tour since 1993, and has finished better than 10th only once this year. His son hits it farther than he does, which doesn't seem to be a good equation on the longest major championship course at sea level.

But Haas was deadly with his irons, making five of his six birdie putts from inside 15 feet. The exception was a 30-footer on No. 15 that had about 6 feet of break.

"That's the kind of thing you do when you're playing well and scoring well," Haas said.

Haas was last in this position four years ago at Augusta National, and he promptly had a 40 on the front nine Saturday.

"I remember being very nervous," he said.

He also remembers coming back in 32 and shooting a 70 on Sunday, three strokes shy of Ben Crenshaw. Haas concedes the clock is ticking on his chances of winning a major, although that won't be on his mind this weekend.

"I've played a long time without a major win," he said. "We all want to win tournaments, especially majors. I'm disappointed that hasn't happened, but I'm not devastated. I don't think I'll be a failure because of that."

AP