Wi by three, Canucks trail in PGA test

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF.— On a day when sunshine gave way to a light rain, two things stayed the same Friday at the Pebble Beach National ProAm. Charlie Wi was still atop the leaderboard, and Tiger Woods didn’t hole enough putts to make up ground.

Wi escaped most of the rain at Pebble Beach, where he holed a wedge from the 13th fairway for eagle and limited the damage to a bogey on his final hole for a 3-under 69 that allowed him to open a threeshot lead.

Dustin Johnson was caught off guard by the rain in the worst way. He stood in the fourth fairway at Spyglass with a short-sleeved shirt, hands thrust in his pocket, as his caddie sent a friend running up the hill to the parking lot to retrieve his rain gear. His short game let him down, and the two-time Pebble champion had to settle for a 72 that put him three back.

Padraig Harrington had a 66 at Pebble Beach and was among those tied for third. Harrington had five birdies in a six-hole stretch early in his round, the exception coming at the par-5 sixth. Graham Delaet of Weyburn, Sask., dropped to 61st after a 5-over 77 at Monterey Peninsula.

Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., making his first start on the PGA Tour since undergoing surgery for a tendon tear in his right elbow in August, finished with a 73 at Pebble Beach and is 1-over through two rounds.

He was tied for 98th with Matt Mcquillan of Kingston, who carded a 70 also at Pebble Beach.

Woods, meanwhile, again looked poised to make a move over at Monterey Peninsula.

He missed a five-foot birdie putt on No. 9 and failed to make birdie on the par-510th when he pulled his second shot into the gallery. He had to settle for a 2-under 68, leaving him six behind.

Along the way, he stung his wrist hitting out of a divot and said he had to pop it back into the joint.

“No big deal,” he said.