Saturday Morning Update: You might say that Phil Mickelson isn't much of a morning person. Having to wake up and finish his last three holes because of weather on Friday, Phil birdied the par-5 16th hole before going bogey-double bogey to close. This is the second round in a row that Phil has doubled the par-4 18th hole, putting Mickelson at 2-under for the tournament and well back of being in contention. John Daly did make the cut at even par. In mid-April of 2009, Brian Gay became a two-time winner on the PGA Tour when he smoked the Verizon Heritage field, winning the tournament at Hilton Head by ten shots. With just three holes to play on Friday, it looked like Gay might be doing much of the same at the St. Jude Championship.
Standing on the par-5 16th hole, Gay was 12-under for the tournament, but a disappointing par there followed by closing bogeys on 17 and 18 left the 37-year-old Texan with just a two shot lead over Bryce Molder and Woody Austin.
More Coverage: St. Jude Leaderboard
Gay has made 14 birdies in two rounds, holding a six-shot lead over fan favorite Phil Mickelson, who couldn't complete his round because of storms in the area. Mickelson, along with 76 other competitors, still has holes to play, which will be completed early Saturday morning as long as the weather clears up.
One of those players already completed was John Daly, who put together a solid two-under 68 that included an eagle, a double-bogey, a bogey and three birdies. Daly is right inside the cut line at even par, and as long as not too much shifts tomorrow, we will see Big John on the weekend in his first PGA Tour tournament of 2009.
Mickelson, who has been sporting a pink breast cancer ribbon on his hat and brightened up TPC Southwind with an orange Volunteers polo on Friday, sure won't be shy for distance next week at Bethpage Black. So far this week, Lefty is leading the field in driving distance, averaging a hair over 328 yards per boom. With distance comes inaccuracy, and Phil seems to be proving just that. While he is popping it deep, it isn't always going straight, hitting just over 50 percent of his fairways.
David Toms and Austin are the only two previous winners of this event in the top-10.
