Power of Caring
  presented by CIGNA

Up and down

Stankowski gets ticket, then the course record at Western

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Friday July 02, 1999 06:11 PM

Stankowski's 29 broke the course record and tied the tournament record. Craig Jones/Allsport

LEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- Paul Stankowski played the front nine the same way he drove his Buick: Fast. Very fast.

With the ink on a speeding ticket not yet dry, Stankowski fired an eagle and five birdies on the front nine Friday for a course-record 29 in the second round of the Western Open. That's one shot off the PGA Tour record of 28 for nine holes.

The previous nine-hole record at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club's Dubsdread course was 30. Stankowski also matched the tournament record.

"I got a ticket driving over," Stankowski said. "That's pretty much the way my round went. I got off to a fast start, got pulled over and never really got it going after that."

Five bogeys on the back nine gave him a 3-under 69 and a two-day total of 3-under 141.

Stankowski was driving his courtesy car, a supercharged Buick, as he sped along the wide, winding roads on the way to Cog Hill. He knew he was speeding even before he looked up and saw the flashing red-and-blue lights.

Uh-oh.

"Why do they give you a supercharged car unless you go fast, right?" Stankowski asked. "I hope the guy pulls me over again because I could use another 7 under."

And just how fast was he going?

"Sixty-four in a 45-mph zone," he said. "I thought I was going to shoot a 64 today and I was going to call the cop and thank him."

He came close to that 64. He birdied Nos. 3 and 4, and then eagled the par-5 No. 5. He followed with two more birdies, and closed out the side with another birdie on No. 9.

But Stankowski's round hit a speed bump with a bogey on the par-4 10th, and two more on the 12th and 13th. He did manage one birdie, on the par-4 17th, but sandwiched it between two bogeys.

"I feel like things are coming around," he said. "I'm not discouraged by the back nine and I'm very encouraged by the front nine."

 

Related information
Stories
SI On the Course: Stankowski's roller-coaster ride Brisky birdies way into Western Open lead Don't look now, Tiger on a roll
Multimedia
Click here for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.