Another ugly dose of Central New York weather hit during Friday’s second round of the PGA Tour’s Turning Stone Resort Championship, forcing the completion of the round to Saturday morning.
But that didn’t stop first-round leader Jeff Overton from maintaining his edge. The one-time Big 10 Player of the Year at Indiana University, where tournaments in cold conditions are quite common, shot a three-under-par 69 to build a one-shot lead over Tag Ridings.
Instead of just cold rain, hail pelted the Atunyote Golf Club in Verona, forcing golfers off the course on two different occasions. First, there was a 16-minute delay for hail. Then, just after noon, a rainstorm forced the golfers off the course for more than an hour.
Overton never got rattled. Instead, he hit all 18 greens in regulation and, despite 34 putts, put together birdies at holes 4, 8, 9 and 12 to overcome an opening bogey on the 1st hole.
At 136, eight under par, Overton, who has not won on the PGA Tour, led Ridings, who went out in calmer conditions — afternoon sunshine, but with higher winds — and posted a 68 to go with his opening 69. Ridings had six birdies against two bogeys on his round.
Jason Day stood alone in third place at 136 following his second consecutive 69. And just like on day one, when he holed out for an eagle on the par-4 14th hole, Day, a 20-year-old Australian who is the youngest player on the PGA Tour, came up with the round’s most memorable shot.
It came at the 6th, a 180-yard par-3 over water. Using a six-iron just as the first hailstorm was hitting the area, Day saw the ball take one bounce, then dive into the cup.
Three players — Mark Hensby, Robert Allenby and Charles Howell III — share third place at 139 after Hensby carded a 69 and Allenby and Howell each shot 68. Brian Davis, Brad Elder, Dustin Johnson and Kyle Thompson all sit at 140.
Steve Flesch, the Kentucky left-hander trying to defend his title, nearly missed the weekend, but used a 73 to get to 147, three over par. Davis Love III, the biggest name in the field, rebounded from an opening-round 75 with a 70 that safely advanced him to the weekend.
The cold, wet, windy and unpredictable conditions continued to bother players, as five more withdrew (adding to the two from the opening round) and 24 could not finish before darkness fell Friday night.
They’ll all have to come back at 8:45 a.m. Saturday morning, with Steve Allan, at three under, the best of the players needing to finish. Third-round play starts at 10:30 a.m., with threesomes going off both the 1st and 10th tees.
There will be some early drama as Horseheads native Joey Sindelar, sitting right on the cut line at four over par, will have one hole to finish, the tough par-4 9th, needing a par to stick around the rest of the weekend. Tom Scherrer (Skaneateles) and Jeff Reader (East Syracuse) will both sit out the last two rounds.
