Golf Capsules: Oberholser takes lead at Frys.com
Published 11:32 pm Friday, October 24, 2008
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Arron Oberholser is making the most of his home-field advantage. He estimates he has played the Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club 75 times, and his last two rounds were among his best.
Oberholser shot a 6-under-par 64 on Friday for an 11-under 129 total and a one-stroke in the Frys.com Open, the fifth of seven stops on the PGA Tour’s Fall Series.
“This was my practice facility in 2002 when I first moved down here,” he said. “… I’ve played this golf course so many times and I’ve been in every spot imaginable, so I’m very comfortable around it, and I really have no fear of any golf shot out here.”
Australian Steve Allan, who also lives in Scottsdale, shot a 63 and was one shot behind at 10 under on the sun-baked 7,125-yard desert layout.
Brad Elder and George McNeill were 9 under after 63s.
Paul Goydos — the 2007 Sony Open champion — sank a 47-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to highlight an 8-under 62. Goydos was tied with Aussie Mathew Goggin, first-round co-leader John Mallinger and Robert Garrigus at 8 under.
Grand China Air
At Haikou, China, Laura Diaz shot a 9-under-par 63 to take a three-stroke lead after the first round of the Grand China Air, the LPGA Tour’s first tournament in China.
The American had 10 birdies and a bogey to match the best round of her career. Winless since 2002, she finished third last week at Kapalua.
South Korea’s Seon Hwa Lee shot a 66, and Karen Stupples and H.J. Choi had 67s.
Second-ranked Annika Sorenstam, No. 3 Yani Tseng and No. 4 Suzann Pettersen were nine strokes back after 72s. Morgan Pressel, the winner last week in Hawaii, had a 75.
AT&T Championship
At San Antonio, England’s Mark James birdied the first six holes on the back nine and shot an 8-under-par 63 — the best round of his Champions Tour career — to take a one-stroke lead over Dan Forsman in the AT&T Championship.
James began the run with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 10th in warm and sunny conditions at Oak Hills Country Club. He made birdie putts of 8 and 18 feet on the next two holes, then hit approach shots to a foot on 13 and 14 for easy birdies. He then missed an eagle putt by inches on the par-5 15th.
Texan Keith Fergus opened with a 65 in the final full-field event of the year. Dave Stockton shot his age at 66, matching Walter Hall and Gene Jones.
Castello Masters
At Castellon, Spain, tournament host Sergio Garcia shot a 6-under-par 65 on his home course for a share of the second-round lead in the Castello Masters.
England’s Richard Finch (66) and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (67) matched Garcia at 11-under 131 at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo.
The top 60 players on the money list after the event will earn spots next week in the Volvo Masters at Valderrama.
PGA Q-School
At Miami, add another comeback to Erik Compton’s remarkable story.
Five months after receiving his second heart transplant, Compton shot a 4-under-par 68 on Friday at Crandon Golf Club on Key Biscayne to advance to the second stage of the PGA Tour’s qualifying tournament.
Battling gusty winds and light rain, Compton overcame a seven-shot deficit to turn in the best score of the day. He finished tied with six others for 23rd place to take the final qualifying spot.
“I’m jacked up. I’m excited. I’m almost in disbelief,” Compton said. “Everybody counted me out, and I survived again.”
Compton made a 15-foot putt to save par on seven, his second to last hole. He made birdies on 2, 10, 14 and 17, and tapped in an easy putt on nine to end his day.
Compton was diagnosed at age 9 with cardiomyopathy, an enlarging of the heart that hinders its ability to pump blood. Three years later in 1992, he received a new heart at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital.
He was a No. 1-ranked amateur and a two-time All-American at Georgia before he turned professional in 2001, playing mostly on the Nationwide Tour but also qualifying for a few PGA Tour events.
But after a heart attack last October, it became clear he would need another transplant. Compton underwent the second operation May 20 and has been rehabbing ever since.
Compton’s next test will be a qualifying tournament at Callaway Gardens-Mountain View Golf Course in Pine Mountain, Ga. The final qualifying tournament is in Palm Springs, Calif., where 25 golfers will receive PGA Tour cards.
Now, he has a chance to get there.
After struggling the first three days of the tournament — shooting a 76, 75 and 77 — it seemed his remarkable run would end.
Not yet.
“I wanted to show people I could still do it,” Compton said.
