Round 2 Notes – Shell Houston Open
Weather: Temperatures in the morning were in the low 70s with S/SW winds of 8-15 mph. Clouds increased in the afternoon as a front moved into the area that led to the suspension of play at 1:49 pm. At the time of suspension, 62 players had completed their second-round, while 18 players had yet to begin their second-round. Following a one-hour forty-five minute delay, play resumed at 3:34 pm local time.Among those who did manage to complete their second round was first-round co-leader Johnson Wagner. In round-two, Wagner fired a 3-under-par 69 to take a three-stroke lead at 12-under-par, despite hitting balls into the water on the par four third and 11th holes. His opening two rounds of 63-69, combining for a total of 12-under par, is his lowest back-to-back 36-hole score since rounds two and three of the 2006 Chattanooga Classic at the Black Creek Golf Club on the Nationwide Tour when he shot 66-65 (13-under-par). Wagner has never been a 36-hole leader on the PGA Tour.
Interestingly, Johnson Wagner does not fall inside the top 100 of any of the major statistical categories. His highest rank is 108th in Driving Accuracy. He is ranked 181st in Scoring this year with an average of 72.34, and through two rounds at Redstone, his average has plummeted to 66 for the week.
Since the Tournaments inception 60 years ago, 20 second round leaders have gone on to claim the title, most recently Stuart Appleby in 2006. Of 14 PGA Tour events so far this year, six 36-hole leaders have gone on to emerge victorious, most recently Geoff Ogilvy at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.
Matthew Goggin tied his career-low 18-hole score (in relation to par) with an 8-under-par 64 in round-two. Goggin first shot the same score in round one of the 2002 Buick Invitational. Later that year, he shot a 7-under-par 64 at the Greater Milwaukee Open at the par-71 Brown Deer Park Golf Club.
Chad Campbell made up nine strokes in round two with an 8-under-par 64 of his own. It was his best 18-hole score since posting a 9-under-par 63 at the 2007 Frys.com Open in Las Vegas.
The biggest stroke improvement of the day came with Ben Crane’s 7-under-par 65. Bettering his opening-round 74 by nine shots, Crane went from T99 to T8 (at the time of his finish).
Defending champion and first round co-leader Adam Scott’s streak of bogey-free holes at Redstone came to an end at 55 when he bogeyed the par-four second hole in round two. The streak began on the first hole of round-three in 2007.
With a second round 76 there was a 13-stroke difference between rounds. That is the largest number for Scott since following up a 67 in round two of the 2006 PLAYERS Championship with an 82 in round three.
Although it remains a long shot, Davis Love III’s last chance to work his way into next week’s Masters Tournament stays alive. An even-par 72 in round two kept him at 3-under-par, good enough to play on the weekend. Love III remains nine shots back of Johnson Wagner’s 12-under lead.
Following a lack-luster even par start in round one, Phil Mickelson rebounded in round-two with a 4-under-par 68, highlighted by an eagle-three at the par-five eighth hole. Mickelson hit his second shot from 232 yards to 27 feet, only to go on and make the putt.
With his 3-under-par 69 in round two to get to 2-under for the Tournament, Fred Couples will be around for the weekend. This marks his 15th consecutive cut made here, moving him into a tie for second place on the Shell Houston Open’s consecutive cuts made list. Jimmy Demaret holds the record with 17.
When play was called for the day, the par-4 18th hole was ranked as the most difficult in round two, more so for none than Alejandro Canizares. When he got to the 18th tee, he was three-under for the Tournament. When he left the 18th, he was nine-over for the Tournament. Four consecutive balls in the water off the tee lead to a 12.
Rocco Mediate, John Daly and 1993 Shell Houston Open champion Jim McGovern all withdrew during the second round because of back injuries. George McNeill withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
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