Birdie rampage puts Gay in front

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This article was published 18/04/2009 (6313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Brian Gay’s run of five straight birdies lifted him past a revived Todd Hamilton after two rounds of the Verizon Heritage on Friday.

Gay made six birdies on the front nine, including five in a row from the fourth through ninth holes to help him to a 66 and, at 9-under par, a one-stroke lead over former British Open champion Hamilton.

First-round leader Alex Cejka followed his 64 with an even-par 71 and was tied at 7-under with two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen.

Janzen’s round of 70 featured an ace on the 17th hole.

Gay has steadily improved over his 11 full PGA Tour seasons. His best came last year with his first career victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and a personal high of more than US$2.2 million in earnings.

“That front nine was awesome,” Gay said.

Gay’s streak began when he rolled in an 18-footer for birdie on the par-3 4th hole, then picked up steam with a 25-foot putt a hole later. His approach from a fairway bunker landed inside five feet for a third straight birdie.

After a birdie putt inside 10 feet on the seventh, Gay closed the stretch with another sizeable putt of 20 feet to get reach 10 under.

Gay had a chance from 15 feet away on the ninth hole to keep things going, but settled for par.

He was well shy of the PGA Tour mark of eight straight birdies, accomplished many times. Last year, champion Boo Weekley and Jay Williamson each had streaks of five consecutive birdies at Harbour Town.

Gay made his only bogey on the 10th hole, then parred in to hold on to the lead.

He’s had his struggles here, missing the cut six times in his nine previous trips. And Gay felt as challenged Friday with the swirling winds, despite his charge.

“Heck, I was as surprised as anybody” about his birdie run, he said.

Gay led a strong, if not stellar field, as many of the world’s best players took the week off to recuperate after the Masters.

Green jacket winner Angel Cabrera took a break as did Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. In all, just six of the top 20 ranked golfers teed it up here.

Hamilton, who tied for 15th at Augusta, may have found his major championship form at the right time.

His five-year PGA Tour exemption from that 2004 win ends after this season. And Hamilton had done little in the year’s first three months — seven missed cuts in nine events — to guarantee him a spot beyond December.

“Getting off to a slow start, I think that’s when I started thinking, ‘Man, you better start doing something and not waste your opportunity. You’ve got one year of a free pass left, you better start getting after it.”‘

Hamilton went after it hard last week at the Masters to earn his biggest prize (US$131,250) since 2004. The bounce back continued at Sea Pines Resort.

— The Associated Press