NAPLES, Fla. — Kenny Perry and Sean O’Hair took a two-stroke lead in the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Saturday, birdieing the final six holes in better-ball play for an 11-under 61.
“We got pretty hot," O’Hair said. “Kenny did a great job when I wasn’t in the hole ... then I did a pretty good job when Kenny wasn’t in the hole."
Perry and O’Hair were 19 under overall, two strokes ahead of first-round leaders Davis Love III and Brandt Snedeker at Tiburon Golf Club. Love and Snedeker had a 65.
The round was delayed by heavy rain and wind for 1 hour, 50 minutes.
O’Hair chipped in for birdie on No. 13 just ahead of the downpour. But the two didn’t let the delay affect them. Perry birdied Nos. 14 and 15, O’Hair birdied Nos. 16 and 17, and Perry made one on the last hole.
“It was amazing," said Perry, who won the event in 2005 and 2008. “We come back right out of the hopper and birdie the last five holes."
“You have to keep your momentum," O’Hair said.
Love and Snedeker couldn’t. After birdieing three straight holes on the back and making a par, the two made two birdies in the last five holes after play resumed.
“Finally started making some birdies and we had to stop," Love said. “We had a rough par 5 when we came back and didn’t make a birdie."
History is on the side of O’Hair and Perry. The second-round leaders have gone on to win six out of the past 11, and four of the past five.
The 12 two-man teams will play a scramble today.
Also on Saturday:
Feng wins Dubai
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — China’s Shanshan Feng won the Dubai Ladies Masters by five strokes, closing with a 3-under 69 for her second Ladies European Tour title. The sixth-ranked Feng finished at 21-under 267 at Emirates Golf Club. She won the LPGA Championship in June for her first major title. The Netherlands’ Dewi Claire Schreefel was second after a 69.
Senden in front in Sydney
SYDNEY — Australian John Senden took a three-stroke lead in the Australian Open, making an eagle and two birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine en route to a 2-under 70. Senden, the 2006 champion, had a three-round total of 7-under 209 in tough, windy conditions at The Lakes. Englishman Justin Rose was second after a 70.
Schwartzel leads in Thailand
CHON BURI, Thailand — South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel shot a 4-under 68 to extend his lead to five strokes after the third round of the Asian Tour’s Thailand Golf Championship. Schwartzel had an 18-under 198 total at Amata Spring. Sweden’s Daniel Chopra was second after a 69. Masters champion Bubba Watson was tied for seventh at 7 under after a 71.
South African event starts
DURBAN, South Africa — South Africa’s Tim Clark and Denmark’s Morten Orum Madsen shot 5-under 60 to share the first-round lead in the rain-delayed Nelson Mandela Championship. Because of the wet conditions, the Royal Durban course was cut from a par of 70 to 65. The tournament, the European Tour’s season-opening event, has been reduced to 36 holes.
