Scott holds clubhouse lead; 26 yet to finish second round  MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A total of 26 players were unable to complete the second round of the Stanford St. Jude Championship, which was called due to darkness on Friday night. They will return Saturday morning to finish play, with the third round expected to start by midday with players going off both the first and 10th tees.  When all is said and done, Adam Scott might have his second 36-hole lead in as many weeks. (Feldman/WireImage)
Adam Scott topped the leaderboard at 7-under 133, a total he didn't think would stand up after a cold front stilled the gusty wind and softened the tricky greens on the 7,239-yard TPC Southwind course. Fellow Australian Andrew Buckle had a chance to pass Scott with what could be the best round here so far. He started the day at even and was 6 under with three holes left after seven birdies and a bogey. Scott had a chance for his second straight 36-hole lead. The world's fourth-ranked player led by a stroke last week in the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley en route to a fifth-place tie. "Nice to be leading now or at the end of the day or whenever this round finishes," Scott said as he finished up with a par on No. 9, his 18th. "Conditions are perfect. If it stays like this, birdies to be had out there." Brian Gay, who waited out the delay after putting his second shot on the green at No. 18, holed out from 45 feet for birdie and a 66 that left him a stroke back at 6 under. Fredrik Jacobson, who shared the first-round lead with Scott, was 3 under after a 70. Two-time Memphis winner David Toms (68) was 2 under along with Duffy Waldorf (69), Brian Davis (68), Scott Verplank (69), Woody Austin (66). Jose Maria Olazabal and Brandt Snedeker also were 2 under. Olazabal had a hole to play, and Snedeker had two to finish. Anyone hoping the wind that kept all but seven golfers at par or higher in the first round would die down on Friday were wrong early. Conditions remained just as windy Friday morning as on Thursday when only seven players broke par. They adapted better with 13 of the 75 with morning tee times breaking par. "It's been blowing pretty steady all day," Gay said during the delay. "It actually seemed to be blowing harder the last few holes." Then came the thunderstorms that stopped play just before noon locally. Golfers ran out of time to catch Scott before play was stopped at 9:13 p.m. EDT. Play was scheduled to resume at 8:30 a.m. EDT Saturday. Gay wasn't that happy about having to wait to finish up. "I don't have to hit balls again, just go out and putt on the last green, get some lunch and hang out and can't control what the weather does you know. Hopefully, it won't be too easy for them later," he said. Scott had two holes left to finish up a smooth round that featured two birdies on each side thanks to his putter. He holed out from nearly 14 feet on No. 13 and sunk a 40-footer on No. 7 to drop to 7 under with the weather moving in. Not that he minded the delay. "I was playing quite nicely at the time. It's never ideal, but it's something you have to get used to because we seem to do it a lot on tour. And you just have to learn to relax and take it for what it is and try to come out with a fresh mind," Scott said. Divots: Jeff Maggert became the first defending champion to miss the cut since Jim Gallagher Jr. in 1996. Maggert was 12 over after rounds of 73 and 79. ... Brent Geiberger withdrew Friday morning. He had opened with a 76. Tom Johnson (82) and Tripp Isenhour (81) also withdrew before the second round. Mark Calcavecchia withdrew after playing the front nine with a back injury. He was 9 over at the time. Chris Couch, who had a 79 in the first round and had a 35 on the front nine, withdrew with a bad back after 17 holes. |
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