Round 2 Notes – FBR OPEN
Second-Round Notes – Friday, February 1, 2008Weather: Sunny and cold in the morning, with a low of 34 degrees. Warmer in the afternoon with highs in the mid-60s. Winds were out of the S/SW at 5-10mph.
There were nine bogey-free rounds during the first round: Charles Warren (65), Kevin Sutherland (65), Brian Gay (66), Camilo Villegas (66), Rich Beem (66), Michael Allen (67), Boo Weekley (68), Jonathan Byrd (69) and Ben Crane (70).
There was a 90-minute delay to the start of play due to frost, with play beginning at 9:10am. The 24 players who failed to finish round one Thursday did so with the round ending Friday at 10:21am. Darkness led to the final suspension at 6:02p.m., with 45 players (24 on the front, 21 on the back) yet to complete their round. The second round will resume at 7:40a.m..
Pat Perez’ 6-under-par 65 gave the area resident the early clubhouse lead, keeping alive a string of solid play. Perez ended the 2007 season with three top 30 finishes, highlighted by a T6 at his season-ending Fry’s Electronics Open, down the road at Grayhawk Golf Club. Perez began his ’08 campaign in Hawaii where he posted a T4 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Perez was previously zero-for-six in FBR Open cuts made since first playing in 2002.
Pat Perez’ clubhouse lead was short-lived, however, as 2006 FBR Open champion J.B. Holmes followed him in with a 6-under par 65 to get to 9-under par. Albeit early on, the six-under score matched his low round of the year (third round 64 - Sony Open in Hawaii, finished T17).
J.B. Holmes is now seven-for-eight in terms of shooting rounds in the 60s at the FBR Open. His only non-60s score was an opening round 74 last year. With his 65 in round two, Holmes now moves to 31-under par at TPC Scottsdale since 2006.
J.B. Holmes has never led or shared the lead after 36 holes in a PGA TOUR event. He hit 8 of 14 fairways in both rounds.
Doug Labelle’s 2008 season is off to a stellar start. He rolled the dice by traveling all the way to Honolulu to Monday qualify for the Sony Open in Hawaii. Not only did he earn one of the four spots, but he made the most of the start by finishing T10. In his next event, the Buick Invitational, Labelle finished T20. His great play continued in round two of the FBR Open. A PGA TOUR career low of 7-under-par 64 put Labelle atop the leaderboard with J.B. Holmes. The closest he has ever been to a 36-hole lead was three-back of Steve Allan and John Mallinger at the 2007 RBC Canadian Open.
Should their lead hold up, Holmes and Labelle will both be playing in the last group for the first time in their careers. Only once have the two previously been paired in the same group, which was round three of the 2007 Barclays.
While Doug Labelle II hit 11 of 14 fairways in round one, that ratio dropped to nine of 14 in round two.
In its 21 year history since moving to the TPC Scottsdale, eight 36-hole leaders/co-leaders have gone on to victory
Two President Cup team members made their move on Friday. 2007 International Team members Nick O'Hern and Stuart Appleby jumped up the leaderboard with rounds of 65 and 66, respectively.
Will Mackenzie made the 19th hole-in-one since the FBR Open moved to the TPC Scottsdale in 1987. It was only the third ace on the 185-yard par three 12th.
Tommy Armour III carded an eagle two from 110 yards on the par four, first hole. He ended the day with a 2-under par 69.
Ryuji Imada withdrew during his round due to a right hip injury.
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