Golf: American duo again match scores to retain one-shot lead

By BOB PEARCE in Christchurch

Americans Joel Kribel and Bryce Molder share a birthday, played together in the United States Open last year and today will be the final pair in the $1.2 million Clearwater Classic as joint halfway leaders at nine-under.

On January 27, Kribel was 25 and Molder 23, but this week their numbers have been identical - 66s in the first round and 69 yesterday for a total of 135 and a one-shot lead over Australians Peter O'Malley and Anthony Painter and American Brad Ott.

Four players are a shot further back, including American Charles Warren, who with Painter had a six-under 66 for the best round of the day.

Steve Alker, the leading New Zealander overnight, slipped to four under after a 73.

At three under are Wellington pro Gareth Paddison and Greg Turner, whose 70 included a magnificent eagle on the 474m 14th.

Former New Zealand Open champion David Smail is on two under.

Molder, a former college team-mate of Tiger Woods, has yet to record a bogey. He chipped in for birdie on the first hole but was steady rather than brilliant as he picked up two more birdies in the increasingly tricky north-easterly wind.

Kribel got to 10 under with one to play, but on the par-four 18th he put his tee shot into the water on the left. He limited the damage with a lob-wedge to within a metre with his second ball for a bogey five.

"I was just happy to make five," he said. "Elsewhere all my misses were in the right places and I was able to recover or even make birdie."

The 407m 18th was also responsible for stopping an incredible sub-par round by Welsh-born American Richard Johnson. Starting from the 10th, Johnson birdied seven of his first eight holes.

It could even have been better. On the 16th his bunker shot hit the pin and stayed out, and on the next an eagle putt rimmed the cup.

But on the 18th he carved his tee shot into the water and made six, and he could do no better than 68.

With 20 players within five shots of the lead, no one is making any predictions about the final 36 holes of this Holden-sponsored tournament.

Kribel has never led a tournament at the halfway point and Molder showed some frailty under pressure at last week's Adelaide event.

The wind is expected to pick up again today and there is a prospect of rain after two days of sunshine.

The 36-hole cut to 67 players came at 143, one-under. Among those to miss the cut was American Casey Martin, who had surgery in January to try to cure the congenital problem that forces him to use a cart.

The sole amateur, Eddie Lee, looked likely to make the cut until a double-bogey, bogey finish put him two shots over.

Course designer Bob Charles also missed out despite improving seven shots to a 73. But he was a happy man as he surveyed his Clearwater creation.

"What course superintendent Bob Bradley has done at such short notice is unbelievable," he said. "The first grass was sown only 12 months ago and the last seed only four months ago.

"I'm really thrilled to see the way the guys are scoring. I'd love to see 62, 63 and 64s. The public like to see birdies, not a struggle for pars."

Charles admitted being embarrassed by his first-round 80, but three birdies yesterday have him prepared to come back next year if asked.