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Saturday, September 20, 1997

Hughes takes second-round lead at Texas Open

By CHIP BROWN / AP Sports Writer

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Bradley Hughes found the latest copy of "Golf" magazine lying in the locker room and read an article about visualizing putts going into the cup before hitting them.

He says the tip was just what he needed after having putted poorly and missing four of his last six cuts.

On Friday, the Australian had an eagle, seven birdies and a bogey in a course-record-tying 64 that gave him a one-stroke lead after the second round of the LaCantera Texas Open.

"I picked up the magazine Wednesday and the tip was a great help," said Hughes, who has two top-25 finishes along with 12 missed cuts in 21 tournaments this year. "I would look back and forth from the ball to the hole, but I would never stop and visualize the ball's path into the hole."

Hughes, who is 11-under for 36 holes, will be paired with Duffy Waldorf in Saturday's third round.

Despite missing birdie putts of 3-1/2, 7, 6 and 10 feet on the front nine, Waldorf shot a 68 to go 10-under.

"The round definitely got away from me on the front," said Waldorf, whose only career PGA Tour victory came at the Texas Open in 1995. "I have to hope that if I continue to play well, I'll have a round where I capitalize on the opportunities."

D.A. Weibring had the most birdies on the day with eight, including five straight to finish his round, but also had three bogeys and was in sole possession of third place at 9-under after a 67.

"I've missed my last two cuts, and I always have trouble reading these greens," said Weibring, who has five PGA Tour victories in a 21-year career. "But I made a couple good putts down the stretch, and I've played pretty steady."

Brett Quigley, Mike Brisky, Brad Fabel, Paul Goydos and Craig Parry were all at 8-under. Quigley, Fabel and Parry shot 68s Friday, while Goydos had a 70 and Brisky a 71.

First-round leader Gene Sauers, who matched the LaCantera course record with a 64 Thursday, had a 73 Friday and was tied with four others at 7-under.

Lurking in a group of seven another shot back was former U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, while Mark Calcavecchia and Loren Roberts were among nine golfers tied at 5-under.

Defending champion David Ogrin was at 3-under.

Tom Lehman, one of three players using the Texas Open to prepare for the Ryder Cup, shot a 73 Friday and missed the cut of 1-under by one stroke.

Lehman refused to speak to reporters after his round.

Ryder Cup teammate Lee Janzen shot a 71 Friday to go 4-under for the tournament, while Jeff Maggert was at 1-under after a second-round 73. The three will leave for Cadiz, Spain, on Monday morning.

"The hills and trees are very similar to the Ryder Cup course in Spain," Janzen said. "I thought it would be a little windier here, but the best way for me to prepare for next week is to just shoot a couple good rounds over the weekend."

Some other notables missing the cut were Corey Pavin, David Duval, John Daly and Jay Haas, who finished second at the Texas Open last year.

Teeing off in the afternoon in near 100-degree heat, Hughes opened on the back nine and made a birdie on No. 10 before bogeying the par-4 12th after driving under the lip of a fairway bunker.

He made easy birdie putts at the par-5 14th, the par-4 16th and the par-4 18th.

On the front nine, Hughes said he really made use of the visualizing tip in the magazine.

He drained a 35-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 2nd, needed just a 2-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 5th and then made 25-foot putts for birdie on the par-3 6th and par-4 7th.

"The year's been pretty smelly," Hughes said. "I haven't done much. I haven't been in this situation in America before. But the four tournaments I've won in Australia, I led after the second and third rounds."