PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) - The wind and the rain arrived Friday, perhaps a prelude to a nasty weekend. Leave it to a pair of Texans - Jimmy Walker and Jordan Spieth - to thrive in Crosby Clambake conditions at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Walker made some tough par saves and wound up bogey-free at Spyglass Hill with a 3-under 69. Spieth was down the coast at Monterey Peninsula, where he called the birdie on his final hole the best of his life. He’s only 20, but it was a proud moment.
They were tied for the lead going into the third round, one shot to par ahead of Hunter Mahan.
The slight advantage would go to Walker, who was at 9-under 135. Already a two-time winner this season, Walker next goes over to Monterey Peninsula, the easiest of the three courses in the rotation. Spieth was at 9-under 134 and headed to Pebble Beach, which can be brutal in nasty weather.
And the forecast for Saturday was not particularly pleasant.
Along with a three-club wind on the exposed sections of all three courses, steady rain began coming down sideways toward the end of the second round. There was about a 75 percent chance for more rain Saturday.
Spieth caught Walker for a share of the lead on the 187-yard ninth hole, which typically requires a 6-iron. He watched Kevin Chappell hit first with a 3-iron, and the ball rolled back down off the front of the green. Spieth hit a hybrid to about 20 feet and made the putt, with the wind blowing it to the right at end.
Mahan had a 68 at Spyglass Hill, with half of his six birdies on the par 5s. He was at 8-under 136.
ALLIANZ CHAMPIONSHIP
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) - Michael Allen matched the Champions Tour record with a 12-under 60 in the Allianz Championship, finishing the first round with an eagle and 10 birdies.
The 55-year-old Allen became the ninth player in the history of the 50-and-over tour to shoot 60 and the first to accomplish the feat on a par-72 course.
Allen opened on the 10th hole and played each nine in 6-under 30 on The Old Course at Broken Sound. He has five tour victories, winning the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic and Greater Hickory Classic last year.
Scott Dunlap was second at 63, and Tom Lehman, Chien Soon Lu and Wes Short Jr. shot 65.
AUSTRALIAN LADIES MASTERS
GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) - Cheyenne Woods, Tiger Woods’ niece, shot a 6-under 67 for a share of the second round lead in the Australian Ladies Masters, while eight-time winner Karrie Webb was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
South Africa’s Stacy Lee Bregman also shot 67 to match Woods at 10 under at Royal Pines in the event sanctioned by the European and Australian tours.
Webb, the winner last year, signed for a par instead of a bogey on the 12th hole. The Australian star shot 75 after opening with a 74.
JOBURG OPEN
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Italy’s Edoardo Molinari and Scotland’s Craig Lee shared the second-round lead in the Joburg Open at 11 under, and England’s David Horsey was a stroke back after a 63.
Molinari had a 4-under 68 on Royal Johannesburg and Kensington’s longer, tougher East Course, and Lee shot 67 on the West. Horsey also played the West Course.
South Africa’s George Coetzee had a 68 on East Course to match Horsey at 10 under. The final two rounds will be played on the East Course.
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