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Kite in contention Fleisher ties Thorpe for State Farm Classic lead
Updated: Saturday July 28, 2001 6:20 PM
HUNT VALLEY, Md. (AP) -- After taking a day to get acquainted with an unfamiliar golf course, Bruce Fleisher played as if he owned it. Fleisher made an eagle and five birdies Saturday, shooting a 7-under-par 65 to surge into a first-place tie with Jim Thorpe after two rounds of the State Farm Senior Classic. Fleisher, the U.S. Senior Open champion and leading money-winner on the tour, shot a 71 Friday during his first competitive round on the 7,031-yard Hayfields Country Club course. On his second crack at it, Fleisher opened with a birdie and an eagle, setting the stage for his ascension to the top of the leaderboard. "I really got off to a great start," he said. "Yesterday I hit the ball very well, and I knew if I could make a couple of putts I could turn it around. That's what I did today." Thorpe birdied the final three holes, overcoming two earlier bogeys to finish in a deadlock with Fleisher at 8-under 136. Although he couldn't argue with his position, Thorpe wasn't exactly pleased with his performance. Asked if he was playing well enough to win, Thorpe quickly answered, "No," then added, "At this point, I'm just not getting out of my game what I'm looking for. Everything is kind of a struggle." Allen Doyle and Mike Smith shot 65s to join first-round leader Doug Johnson (72) at 138. Tom Kite, George Burns and three others were at 139. After sinking a short birdie putt on No. 1, Fleisher used a 5-wood on his second shot to get within 4 feet of the pin on the par-5, 526-yard second hole. He added birdies on Nos. 7, 13, 15 and 16, leaving him in position to win his fourth tournament of the year Sunday. "I have to go at it as I did yesterday and today," Fleisher said. "Someone could conceivably shoot a 63 or a 64. If I go out there to shoot pars, I'm not going to win this golf tournament." If Fleisher shoots par it will be a surprise, given that he has recorded eight straight rounds under par in this tournament. The State Farm Classic moved to Hayfields after a three-year run at Hobbit's Glen in nearby Columbia, and many of the pros are still trying to adjust to the change. "You have to be patient on this course, especially with the wind swirling," Fleisher said. Doyle, ranked second on the money list behind Fleisher, started the day at 1 over and tied for 30th. He closed the gap by going 6-under on the front nine, sinking four birdies and an eagle on the par-4, 437-yard sixth hole. It was his 34th round in the 60s this year, and his best score since a 64 in the final event of the 2000 season. "All in all, I drove it pretty good and made some good, solid birdie putts," Doyle said. Smith made six birdies over a 10-hole stretch and capped the day with a 2-footer for birdie on 18. It was his best round in two seasons on the senior tour.
Kite took his place among the leaders with a wild 67 that
included an eagle, eight birdies and five bogeys. After beginning
the day seven shots back, Kite got back into contention by starting
the round with three straight birdies and ending it
eagle-bogey-birdie.
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