Big swinger flashes clout
John Daly takes a more aggressive tack to the lead.
THE WOODLANDS — It has been a year since John Daly joined the Champions Tour, making his debut here at the Insperity Invitational. Still seeking that elusive first win on the tour, Daly has returned to his aggressive play off the tee and it’s paying off. At least this weekend.
Daly shot a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 on Saturday to get to 11-under 133 at The Woodlands Country Club. That’s good for a one-shot lead over Kenny Perry, who also carded a 65 on a day in which the wind wasn’t as severe as Friday’s opening round.
“It’s not a familiar place I’m in,” said Daly, whose best Champions Tour finish is a share of 11th at the 2016 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.
On Saturday, Daly played the Tournament Course with confidence and looked like a player poised to win, opening up a two-shot lead at one point on the back nine.
A year ago, Daly was playing courses he wasn’t familiar with, and played with caution. That’s not Daly’s style of attack.
“Last year was just getting to know a lot of the golf courses,” Daly said. “I played a lot more conservative than I normally do. I’m hitting a few more drivers on this course to have shorter shots in.
“So I’m going to get more aggressive like I have been this week. Pick and choose, not on every hole, play somewhat smart. Holes like 11 and 12, I think they’re perfect driver holes for me because I hit a nice cut and I just got to trust it. It’s better going in with a smaller club than a longer club, especially into these greens.” Log jam at the top
The leader board was in a constant flux on Saturday.
At one point five golfers shared the lead at 7 under — Daly, Perry, Jerry Smith, Mark Brooks and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot a 66 to get within four of the lead and is in fifth place.
“That’s the Champions Tour,” said Perry, who lost in a playoff in the Insperity two years ago. “You got to put a lot of good rounds together to win out here. The quality of golf is phenomenal.”
Paired in Sunday’s final round will be Daly, Perry and Smith, not a long bomber, who shot an under-the-radar 66 and is at 9 under.
“I feel like I got a big hurdle playing with Kenny, who is hitting it really well, hits long, and John is long,” said Smith, the only player without a bogey after two rounds. “I have to play my game. If I can keep those bogeys off the card, who knows?”
Fred Couples got within one shot of the lead at 6 under on the front nine, when 10 golfers were within a shot of the lead. The former Houston Cougar shot a 4-under-par-68 and owns a share of sixth place in the standings.
“I feel pretty good,” Couples said. “I’m just a little rusty, but I’m hitting the ball solid enough and putting pretty well. But I don’t think I’m exactly cruising around, hitting it everywhere I’m looking. I’m not disappointed. I just need a really hot round.”
Couples bogeyed the par-4 No. 17 hole and missed a five-foot birdie putt on the closing hole.
“I got to play better than what I’m playing to shoot these scores these guys are shooting,” Couples said Making his move
Daly made the turn at 3 under, then broke from the pack with a birdie-3 on the 10th hole. His birdies on Nos. 11 and 13 increased his lead to two shots.
“I’m very comfortable on this golf course, ever since the early ’90s,” Daly said. “I hope I can keep putting the way I am. Every hole (except the par-3 No. 14) I feel comfortable on. I’ve got a game plan for it. I feel comfortable hitting off the tees. It’s just a matter of executing.”
Daly last led a tournament going into a final round in Oct. 2005 in San Francisco at the WGCAmerican Express, eventually losing in a playoff to Tiger Woods.
First-round leader Tom Lehman, who opened with a 64, skied to a 75, and at 5 under, shares 12th place.
Defending champion Jesper Parnevik holed out from 95 yards with a 60-degree wedge for a par on the 18th hole after hitting his approach shot on the par-4 hole into the water. Parnevik shot his second consecutive 71 and shares 25th place.