Summer Sizzle

After a 5-under 67 Thursday, Alan Morin of Florida takes a two-shot lead into the second round of the PGA Club Professional Championship.

By Bob Denney PGA.com News Services

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- Alan Morin of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., worried that he had "lost his swing" after playing in last week's U.S. Open. But he got timely advice from two South Florida colleagues on the practice range Thursday, then went out to post a 5-under-par 67 for a two-stroke lead in the 36th PGA Club Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club.

The lone PGA Professional to compete in the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields, Ill., Morin missed the cut. He then flew to the 5,400-foot elevation of north central New Mexico and turned in his best performance in nine rounds at the showcase event for PGA Professionals. The 34-year-old assistant professional at The Falls Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla., collected four back-nine birdies to offset an 18th-hole bogey just before sunset.

"I was really worried, because my swing was gone. I had nothing," said Morin. "So I asked a couple of buddies from my Section this morning to take a look at my swing. They (Dean Prowse of Weston and Nevin Sutcliffe of Lehigh) told me my hands were going outside.

"They told me to drop them a little more inside. That's what I worked on all day," he added. "It's (traveling from the Open to the CPC) is not that bad. I get excited about these events. I gear up for them."

Morin tees off Friday with a two-stroke advantage over Micah Rudosky of Cortez, Colo., and Brad Westfall of Morgantown, W.Va., who each had a 69. Bob Sowards of Columbus, Ohio; Terry Hatch of Pottsville, Pa.; and Frank Bensel of Greenwich, Conn., were another stroke back at 70.

A mid-afternoon lightning storm danced through the area, suspending play for 1 hour and 45 minutes, and 30 players were unable to complete play before darkness halted play. In that group are Chris Tucker of Fort Mill, S.C.; Ron Philo Jr. of Stowe, Vt.; and Michael Deuel of Apalachin, N.Y., who were each at 2-under-par.

Competing at the 7,624-yard Twin Warriors Golf Club, the longest course in PGA of America history, Morin was 3-under-par through 10 holes before the weather delay. As play resumed, Morin made a six-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole, then added birdies on the 14th and 16th holes. He slightly mishit a 5-iron approach, then chipped nine feet above the hole and missed the comeback par putt.

The 36th PGA Club Professional Championship, presented by Buick, Club Car, Titleist/FootJoy Worldwide and Cobra Golf, features a total purse of $400,000. The 156-player field, representing 38 states and 38 PGA Sections, will be trimmed to the low 70 and ties after Friday's round. The low 25 scorers after Sunday's final round will earn a berth in the 85th PGA Championship, Aug. 14-17, at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.