Times wires
Friday, May 6, 2011
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pat Perez went from watching a great round to playing one Friday in the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow.
Four shots behind as he stood on the 13th tee, he ran off five birdies over the last six holes for 7-under 65 and a two-shot lead going into the weekend.
"That's not what I had in mind when I stepped on the 13th tee, let me tell you that much," Perez said.
Everyone was paying attention to Lucas Glover, who was 6 under through 10 holes and in the lead. But Perez started making every putt, finishing with a 30-footer on the 17th and an 8-foot birdie on the 18th.
He was at 12-under 132, giving him more confidence about the overhaul of his swing this year.
"I'm trying to get my body to release and go first and just let the club follow — like all the good players do, the guys that win," he said.
Jonathan Byrd (68) rallied from a double bogey on the 14th to close two shots back along with Bill Haas (70).
Phil Mickelson (66) finished at 9-under 135 along with Glover, whose two late bogeys made him settle for 68.
Among those headed home early was defending champion Rory McIlroy. He shot 72 and finished at 3-over 147.
Champions: Mark Calcavecchia surged to a three-shot lead with 7-under 65 in the second round of the Regions Tradition, the tour's first major of the year, in Birmingham, Ala. He finished at 11-under 133 to pull ahead of Kenny Perry (65). Calcavecchia, 50, has 13 PGA Tour wins but none on the 50-and-older circuit.
Woods' return: Tiger Woods entered the Players Championship, which starts Thursday in Ponte Vedra Beach. He has been recovering from a minor left knee injury.
Majors in St. Louis: The PGA selected Bellerive Country Club of St. Louis as the site of the 2013 Senior PGA Championship and the 2018 PGA Championship.