Goggin leads Memorial
Mathew Goggin birdied four of the first five holes Friday before strapping in for a wild ride of birdies and bogeys that ultimately added up to an even-par 72 at the Memorial Tournement in Dublin, Ohio.
Still, that tied him for the second-round lead with two-time champion Kenny Perry, who recovered from a rugged start for a 71.
They were at 7-under 137, just 1 shot clear of Jerry Kelly.
All those scores seemed so much lower on a Muirfield Village course that felt like a major with its ankle-deep rough that swallowed up errant shots and greens as slick as glass.
The U.S. Open starts in two weeks in San Diego, but Joe Ogilvie came up with an environmentally friendly plan. He suggested the second major be contested at Muirfield, so players wouldn't have to travel as far in their private jets.
"You'd save millions of pounds of carbon dioxide in the air, and golf would be a green sport again," Ogilvie said after a 75. "All they have to do is change out the pins, replace the rakes and take away press parking."
Goggin is the 36-hole leader for the first time on the
"I had 7 birdies today, so that was the same," Goggin said, alluding to his 65 in the opening round. "The5 bogeys and a double, well, that was probably a negative."
Only three players broke 70 on Friday, with Johnson Wagner turning in a remarkable 67. Twenty players couldn't break 80.
Ginn Tribute: Karrie Webb continued to show off her LPGA Hall of Fame style Friday at the Ginn Tribute -- and just in time, Annika Sorenstam did, too.
Webb shot a 66 and shared the lead at 13-under with Sophie Gustafson (65) after two rounds at Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Sorenstam also had a 66, her lowest score in six career rounds at RiverTowne Country Club, and she moved from a tie for 60th Thursday into a tie for eighth.
Sorenstam was 7 shots behind, but at least she still was part of the tournament that she hosts -- something that looked doubtful midway through Friday's round.
Principal Classic: R.W. Eaks and Lonnie Nielsen shot 5-under 66s to share the first-round lead at the Champions Tour's Principal Charity Classic at West Des Moines, Iowa.
Joey Sindelar, Tom Purtzer, Kirk Hanefeld and Mark McNulty were 1 stroke back. Loren Roberts, who finished second at Glen Oaks in 2006, was at 3-under along with Clarence Rose.
Eaks -- who has battled through serious knee trouble all season -- showed he might be ready to break out. He finished tied for eighth in his last event, the Regions Charity Classic, but that's his only top-10 finish in 2008. Eaks won twice and finished sixth on the money list in 2007.
Wales Open: Scott Strange shot a 5-under 66 and extended his lead to 4 strokes Friday after two rounds of the European Tour's Wales Open at Newport, Wales.
Strange, a 31-year-old Australian, had a 1-under 34 on the back nine of the 2010 Celtic Manor Course, 6 strokes worse than his first round, when a 63 left him with a 1-shot lead.
Strange was 4 shots ahead of Jeev Singh (68), Alvaro Velasco (68), Benn Barham (64) and English tour rookie Robert Dinwiddie, who eagled the last hole for a 65.