Inspired ... and gritty at Cog Hill BMW Championship

Charlie Wi used inspirational messages he wrote down on his pin sheet before his round began, messages like "it's a marathon" and "play one hole at a time."

"I look at those if I ever get ahead of myself," Wi said.

Matt Kuchar's inspiration came from his brain - and his heart.

Sick as a dog with some unknown virus, Kuchar zombied his way around Cog Hill, able to muster up just enough energy in just enough spurts courtesy of some coaxing from his brain.

"I was as weak as could be,' an ashen Kuchar said. "I tried for the four or five seconds over the ball to flip the switch on and really give it what I had and go back to walking around without a whole lot of energy."

Each method worked pretty well. Wi followed up an opening round 67 with a 69 on Friday - and first-round leader Kuchar fed off his brain in a way that would please George Romero, battling back from a 3 over front nine to somehow eke out a 72 and share the top spot with Wi after two rounds of the BMW Championship.

The pair are a stroke up on Marc Leishman, who turned in the day's best round (65) and are 2 ahead of a fivesome at 4 under which includes Luke Donald.

Phil Mickelson is 7 shots behind, tied for 27th p[lace, while Tiger Woods is tied for 40th, 9 shots back.

"It was definitely a wild day; I'm glad to be here," Kuchar said without much excitement in his voice. "To post a 1 over par, I was really happy, and I'm really excited about getting home and into bed."

Wi was really excited just to exit the 16th green Friday after 3-putting for a triple bogey and forfeiting a lead he held for a brief time. Fortunately for him, it didn't take long to get back on message.

"When I walked off the 16th green I told myself 17 is a new challenge and let's see what we can do," Wi said. "Hit a great drive, great wedge to about 12 feet and made the putt.

"I was really proud of myself to make a birdie there."

If the play of the leaders wasn't inspirational enough, the honchos who run the tournament had to be loving Leishman's take on the Dubsdread greens, which have been blasted by a number of players since play began.

"They're fine; there are a few patchy spots, but it's not as though you're putting on a road or anything," Leishman said. "They're good greens. If you were to put these in front of a club golfer, they'd be like, 'these are good greens.'

"I don't know, when I hear other players making comments like that, it sort of feels like you've got less players to beat because the guys that are complaining, they've already let it beat them, I think."

Coming into the week 57th in FedEx Cup points, Leishman, who finished tied for second at last year's BMW to advance to The Tour Championship, can use all the help he can if he wants a repeat performance.

"I think I have to finish fourth this year instead of an outright third (last year), so it's easy this year," the Aussie said with a laugh.

Donald had an uneven day, posting 4 birdies, including a beauty on No. 18, and 3 bogies for a 1-under 70 that has him just 2 shots behind the leaders.

"A solid day," he said. "I'm disappointed to drop a couple coming in, but to finish off with a birdie, I'm right there and in a good position."

But the two in command right now are playoff points leader Kuchar and Wi, who came into the week 37th in points, but currently ranks second overall and with a good chance to not only advance to Atlanta but also be in the mix for the title and the $10 million prize that goes with it.

"I don't think I'll be nervous," Wi said of playing in the final group Saturday (9:15 a.m. tee time to accommodate Notre Dame football on Channel 5). "I know to just play my game and understand that my game is good enough."

And what special words might he use to pump himself up?

"I might not even write one tomorrow," he said with a smile.

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<li><a href="/story/?id=407230">Critics of Cog Hill greens take a few more swings<span class="date"> [9/10/10]</span></a></li>

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