Saturday, March 24, 2001
The Players Championship
Kelly has one-shot lead
on Azinger
By Glenn Sheeley
c. 2000 Cox News Service
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — In his quest
to make PGA Tour history this week, Jerry Kelly is attempting
to find the thrill of a first win and also doing it at The Players
Championship, where they dispense golf's largest paycheck ($1,080,000).
For a former Nike Tour player of the year whose reputation has
been more hothead than hot streak, this is pretty high-energy
stuff.
“I live off of adrenaline out there,”
said Kelly, 34, of Madison, Wis., who leads Paul Azinger at the
TPC at Sawgrass Stadium Course by one stroke at 9-under-par 135
after a 66. “I really feel the juices flowing all the time.
I'll have them flowing over the next two days, and now if I can
keep that flow on kind of an even keel . . . ”
First-round leader Paul Azinger followed
a first-round 66 with 70 Friday. Hoch (70) is two back with Kenny
Perry (66) and Masters champion Vijay Singh (70).
Woods is six back at 3-under 141 after a
69 (only his second in the 60s here) and tied with Phil Mickelson
(68). Conditions were tougher for the afternoon rounds, when the
wind picked up and firmed up the greens.
Half of Kelly's battle could be over. He
has made two unscathed trips through the Stadium Course's perilous
island par-3, the 17th. Through two rounds, the 149-yard torture
test has sent 35 balls plunging into the water — 19 Thursday
and 16 more Friday. Kelly twice has gotten through the 17th with
pars, but not without some sweat. He said he usually starts thinking
about the 17th while on the fourth hole.
“When 17 is rock hard, it can get comical
at times,” Kelly said. “I don't think it's that bad
of a hole, but when the wind gets up, it's tough as nails. Everyone
knows that.”
Tiger Woods rinsed an 8-iron shot there
Friday. Mark Calcavecchia flew the island. Robert Allenby's shot
splashed into the water 10 yards short. All three have won PGA
Tour events this year.
Not everyone would place Pete Dye's 17th
among the world's classics.
“As long as we have 17 and the shape
it's in, this will never be a major championship,” Nick Price
said. “Call it what you want, but I don't think it fits the
rest of the golf course.”
Woods suggested that people “who really
understand the game . . . are not going to say it's a good hole.”
Said Scott Hoch, who is tied for third two
shots back at 137, “When you get to No. 17, you don't know
what to do. You just play it fast and don't think about it.”
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