The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Snedeker shares lead, sees scores going low
2013 Pebble champ says 20 under might be required to win.
Enjoying the best weather Pebble Beach has to offer is one thing. Brandt Snedeker knew he had to take advantage of it with his golf clubs, too.
Snedeker played bogey-free at Spyglass in abundant California sunshine and warmth Friday for a 5-under 67 to share the 36-hole lead with Matt Jones in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Jones had a 66 at Spyglass Hill.
They were at 12-under 131, one shot ahead of Justin Hicks, who had a 68 at Monterey Peninsula.
John Daly, who started the second round one shot behind and briefly was tied for the lead when he birdied his opening hole at Monterey Peninsula, didn’t make a birdie over his last 11 holes and shot a 72. He dropped into a tie for 37th and will have to play well today at Spyglass to avoid missing the cut for the 11th straight time at this event.
Scoring has been low, which was to be expect- ed with barely any breeze and enough sunshine to make the ball go farther through a combination of warm air and firmer-than-usual fairways. The top 60 and ties make the cut, and 60th place was at 4-under par.
Snedeker and Jones now head to Pebble Beach, along with the celebrity rotation.
The pros’ outlook was different.
“If the greens firm up, Pebble is going to play the hardest because they’re such small greens,” said Jones, who won the Shell Houston Open last year for his first PGA Tour title. “If you’re not hitting your irons well enough, you’re going to struggle out there.”
Snedeker won at Pebble Beach two years ago.
“The years I’m playing good, it seems like it comes down to how you play Pebble for me the last two days,” he said. “When the weather is good, you need to be able to get after it and shoot a low round. And the way the scores are right now and the weather forecast over the weekend, it’s going to take ... somewhere around 20-under par to win this golf tournament. So I’ve got to look at 7- to 10-under par the next couple days to win.”
FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel, who hasn’t finished in the top 20 this season, had a 65 at Spyglass Hill and was part of a group two shots behind. The biggest move of the day belonged to Torrey Pines winner Jason Day, who posted a 62 at Monterey Peninsula.
Champions Tour: Colin Montgomerie had five birdies in an eight-hole stretch on the back nine, shooting a 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead after one round of the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla. Montgomerie is followed by Tommy Armour III, who shot a 67 at TwinEagles Golf Club. Defending champion Kirk Triplett and Lee Janzen are at 68.
European Tour: Miguel Jimenez bogeyed his last hole but still led the Thailand Classic by one shot after the second round. Fighting the flu, the 51-year-old Jimenez shot a 6-under 66 to stand at 11 under overall.
Obituary: Rhonda Glenn, the first female anchor on ESPN who became a USGA historian and tireless promoter of women’s golf, died at age 68 in Gainesville, Fla., after a long illness.
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