FESJC NOTEBOOK
Beating the rain
With the forecast calling for a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms today, PGA Tour officials decided Saturday that today’s final round will be moved up in an attempt to get 18 holes played.
The first group today will tee off at 7 a.m. and the final group should tee off around 9 a.m. Instead of the normal twosomes, the players will be grouped in threesomes and go off both the No. 1 and No. 10 tees.
As for CBS television’s coverage, the network will tape the coverage from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and replay it in the regular 2 to 5 window.
‘‘It does play kind of slow when you have that many guys going off in a two-hour window, but they have to do it,’’ said Memphian Shaun Micheel. ‘‘And they would have done it even if the U.S. Open wasn’t (this) week. Hopefully we’ll miss the rain but it’s not a big deal. I’ll just have an extra guy to talk to out there.’’
Micheel makes move
After opening with 71-70 to make the weekend, Micheel fired a 2-under 68 Saturday.
‘‘I hit the ball a lot better (Friday), but I fought a lot better (Saturday),’’ Micheel said. ‘‘I feel good about what I’m doing. I hit a lot of greens (Saturday) and made some good up and downs. Those are the types of things that carry a round over.’’
Micheel narrowly missed dropping in a short birdie on No. 18, which would have had him entering today’s final round at 2under.
‘‘It was a nice opportunity, but I’ll take a 4 there,’’ Micheel said. ‘‘It was a good day. I hit some good shots. The greens were tough and fast and sometimes you just have to take the medicine.’’
Fly shoots 75
Former University of Memphis golfer Jonathan Fly struggled to a 75 Saturday, one day after making the cut with a 6-under 64.
Fly created a buzz during Friday’s second round when he impressively made the cut at the cut line (2-over) following an opening-round 78.
During Saturday’s round, he was undone by a poorly played hole at which he should be most familiar.
Fly shot a triple-bogey 7 at No. 15, which runs along his family’s house. His 3-wood off the tee hooked into a next-door neighbor’s yard.
‘‘From the tee box I thought it was in my yard for sure,’’ he said. ‘‘I just kind of wasn’t there today.’’
Fly, who had consecutive bogeys at Nos. 4, 5 and 6, made the turn at 1-over 36. He did not make a birdie on the back nine.
‘‘That’s golf,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m going to learn from these bad days.’’
And what he must get accustomed to most will be the pace of play
. He and partner Tommy Gainey played their 18 holes in less than 31/ hours.
‘‘We were already on No. 12 and I felt like we had played six holes,’’ Fly said. ‘‘It was like we were sprinting down the fairways. Tommy’s a fast player and I tried to keep up with him the best I could. I’m more of a meticulous, slow player.’’
— Phil S tukenborg