Palmers fires 65 for share of lead
Tour veteran returning to form after wife’s illness; Gribble falters.
Ryan Palmer has reason to believe that better days are ahead, with his golf game and at home.
Palmer made seven birdies Friday on another day of ideal scoring conditions at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. His 5-under 65 gave him a share of the lead with PGA Tour rookie Wesley Bryan (67) going into the weekend at the Honda Classic.
Rickie Fowler was a shot back after his second 66, and Anirban Lahiri was another stroke behind after a 68.
Ex-LonghornsstarCody Gribble, co-leader after the first round, struggled to a 6-over 76 and made the cut on the even-par number.
Palmer, starting a new year packed with uncertainty over matters far more important than golf, returned from a four-month break and missed the cut in his first four events. He signed up for Riviera only because his game needed work, and he saw enough go right to find some momentum going into Florida.
The long break was to be at home with his wife, Jennifer, who is recovering from breast cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer in late July while he was at the Canadian Open. She had surgery about five weeks later. Palmer’s season ended in September, and he spent the rest of the year helping her cope with chemotherapy and at home with their two children.
“I watched a few tournaments,” Palmer said. “There were times when she said I should havegone and played. I was going to play Vegas and I was going to play Malaysia, but after that, there was no way I could play golf. Enjoyed time at home, took care of the kids. But it was a lot of hard times, for sure.”
She was diagnosed relatively early, and the timing helped in other ways.
Palmer was able to reach out to Stewart Cink, whose wife is battling breast cancer. And the week after he learned his wife had breast cancer, Palmer sought out PhilMickelson at the PGA Championship. Mickelson’s wife was diagnosed in 2009.
European Tour: Paul Waring led by one shot after 12 holes of his second round when play was suspended for bad light at the Joburg Open in South Africa.
LPGA Tour: Heavy rain forced LPGA Thailand organizers to suspend second-round play. Co-leaders Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Amy Yang of South Korea were among players who didn’t start.