Driscoll Goes Low in Puerto Rico Open


While the Blue Monster in Miami was proving to be a formidable foe for the players in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, it was a different story in the other PGA Tour event this week, the Puerto Rico Open.

Leading the way at Trump International Golf Club in Rio Grande was James Driscoll, who tied the tournament record with a 9-under 63 Friday to take a one-stroke lead halfway through the $3.5 million event.

The 36-year-old Massachusetts native, a two-time Tour winner whose last win came in the 2009 Valero Texas Open, carded seven birdies and an eagle - on the par-5 fifth hole - to reach 12-under 132, a shot ahead of Chesson Hadley (65) and two over Eric Axley (66).

Driscoll's score matched his own low tournament mark set in the 2011 and also carded by Derek Lamely (2010), Chris Tidland (2011) and eventual winner Scott Brown last year.

Tied for fourth at 9-under 135 are Americans Ben Martin (67), Wes Roach (66), Jonathan Byrd (66) and New Zealander Danny Lee (68).

Sharing eighth at 136 are Americans David Toms (64), Jerry Kelly (67), Jason Gore (69), Ricky Barnes (68), George McNeill (67) and Bud Cauley (67), England's Greg Owen (67) and Spaniard Rafael Cabrera-Bello (67).

The 47-year-old Kelly told PGATour.com that the conditions were much more amenable to scoring than windy Thursday. "I probably struck it better yesterday, but it was tough," said Kelly, who carded six birdies and a bogey in the second round. "We caught the calm part of the day with an awful lot of mud out there.

"I had balls moving 50, 60 yards sideways (Thursday), so it was some good up and downs with actually some good strikes . . . That wind was blowing all day yesterday, and then unlucky with the mud this morning . . . So you know, it's one of those luck-of-the-draw things."

First-round leader Brian Stuard followed up his opening 66 with a 71 to fall into a tie for 16th at 137 with fellow Yank Richard H. Lee (68), Sweden's Carl Pettersson (66) and South African Tyrone Van Aswegen (68).

The 36-hole cut was set at 1-under 143. Among those qualifying for the weekend is two-time major winner John Daly, who followed up his opening 74 with a 69.

Also advancing for the final two rounds is Brown, who posted rounds of 70 and 73.

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.pgatour.com/content/pgatour/tournaments/puerto-rico-open-presented-by-seepuertorico-com/leaderboard.html.