Byrd takes three shot lead
2008-05-17 08:07
Atlanta - American Jonathan Byrd grabbed
a three shot lead over Kenny Perry and Ryan Palmer at the
Atlanta Classic on Friday after producing an excellent
six-under par round for the second successive day on the TPC
Sugarloaf.
Byrd, looking for his fourth career win on the PGA Tour, is
12 under after a round featuring seven birdies including three
in a row on holes three to five.
Charles Howell III, David Toms and Parker McLachlin are on
eight-under par.
Australian Greg Norman, who designed the course, failed to
make the cut despite a one-under round of 71 on Friday. The
53-year-old shot 80 in the rain on Thursday.
The 47-year-old Perry, who was one of five players tied for
the lead on six under-par overnight, bogeyed the fourth but
also produced four birdies.
Perry has had a gruelling 24 hours - his round on Thursday
was affected by heavy rain and he was then up early for a 07:20
start, which was delayed by 40 minutes due to rain.
"It was a lot easier to play those early rounds when I was
24 or 25 years old," he said. "The older I've gotten the
tougher those early morning rounds are."
Perry had a disappointing final day at the Players
tournament last week when he went into the last round a shot
off the lead but ended up joint 15th after making an
error-ridden 81.
"I played good last week. I just got caught in a situation
where it was very difficult on Sunday. We played in
30-mile-an-hour winds on a course that was set up in major
championship form. I just didn't handle it very well.
"I take a lot from last week, 81 is disappointing, a
terrible round of golf but I knew I was playing well, putting
well and that I have to be patient.
"I'm playing a lot better golf."