On the Move

Now that the weekend has arrived in the PGA Club Professional Championship, each of the leaders is trying to separate himself from the field.

Bob Denney
PGA.com Contributor

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- It wouldn't be a stretch to call Alan Morin and Micah Rudosky the new "Wind Warriors" after Friday's gusty second round of the 36th PGA Club Professional Championship at Twin Warriors Golf Club. The duo overcame the travails the challenging course presented to share the lead at 4-under-par 140 as they begin the third round of the national showcase event for PGA Professionals.

Rudosky, the head professional at Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez, Colo., posted a 1-under-par 71 not long after Morin, an assistant professional at The Falls Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla., grinded his way to a 73. They own a one-stroke advantage over 1995 CPC Champion Steve Schneiter of Sandy, Utah, and Ron Philo, Jr., of Amelia Island, Fla., who came in at 70 and 73, respectively.

Tim Fleming of Oklahoma City, Okla., who had the day's low round of 69, and Kevin Burton of Boise, Idaho, with a 73, are tied for fifth at 142. The field of 156 players, representing 38 states and 38 PGA Sections, was trimmed to 77 after a 36-hole cut of 6-over-par 150, guaranteeing a berth in the weekend rounds.

"I knew today was going to be a tough day," said Morin, who needed 31 putts and hit only nine fairways. "The wind was blowing early. And, I knew playing late yesterday that the greens were going to get hard and firm. And, once we made the turn today, they got real firm and chip shots weren't holding.

"I knew the wind wasn't going to let up," he added. "So it was a day when a round around par was going to be a good score. That's all I was really trying to do."

Rudosky birdied the 14th hole to gain a share of the lead in his fourth CPC appearance.

"I didn't miss a fairway on the back side," said Rudosky, "but my driver wasn't struck perfectly. I missed five greens but was able to get up and down for par. I rolled it pretty good on the backside to save my round."

Jeffrey Lankford of Mocksville, N.C., five strokes off the pace at 145, recorded his fifth career hole-in-one, knocking in a 5-iron tee shot on the 208-yard par-3 ninth, his finishing hole.

For the second straight day, a mid-afternoon patch of lightning "played through," forcing a 65-minute suspension of play. When play resumed, Schneiter zipped to the lead at 6-under-par before getting derailed by three back-nine bogeys. He capped his round by making a downhill 12-foot par putt on the ninth (his 18th).

"That nine holes were my rollercoaster," said Schneiter. "I guarantee you anybody playing this afternoon will have a tough time. It's tough. You grind and grind and grind, hit it off line, hit it again, recover and hope you don't hurt yourself too bad. I think tomorrow you will see a group of players separate themselves from the rest of the pack."

The 7,624-yard Twin Warriors Golf Club, the longest course in PGA of America history, held its own as the field averaged nearly two strokes higher than Thursday, yielding a 76.15 stroke average.

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.