Associated Press
Friday, May 26
DUBLIN, Ohio -- The Memorial Tournament had perfect weather all four rounds in 1999 and the first two rounds this year.
That streak is about to end.
With a large storm front moving into the area Saturday afternoon, tournament officials decided to send out the field in threesomes off both tees. Normally, they play in twosomes and all start at No. 1.
Tee times, originally set for 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., are now scheduled from 8:30 to 10:15 a.m.
Tournament founder and host Jack Nicklaus said he agreed with the changes.
"The tour came to me this morning and asked me, 'We've got some weather on the way, would you object?' And I said, no, I didn't have any objection," he said.
Earlier this year, the PGA Tour followed a similar procedure to avoid a storm in the Honda Classic.
"That's been sort of a fairly common practice the last year or two on the tour, where they've had weather conditions coming in and they've changed the Saturday times or the Sunday times to get the round in," Nicklaus said. "I think that's probably very prudent."
For the most part, the players weren't too concerned about the changes having any impact on the tournament. After all, the Memorial Tournament and spring rains are inseparable.
The tournament has had 36 suspensions, delays or cancellations due to the weather in its first 24 years.
Justin Leonard said he wasn't too surprised by the announcement.
"We expect it here," he said. "I'm not a weatherman. I just show up when they tell me to."
Second-round leader and defending champion Tiger Woods said, "That's fine. It normally rains here anyway. Hopefully it won't be too long of a day."
Coming up aces
Steve Flesch used a 9 iron to ace the 155-yard 12th hole on his way to a 68 that allowed him to barely make the cut at 4-over 148. He had hit a 7-iron from almost the same distance a day earlier. This time there was no indecision. "It was just the perfect iron as long as I hit it solid," he said after his eighth career ace. Playing partner Fuzzy Zoeller said, "It was a beautiful shot, absolutely gorgeous. It hit right in front of the hole and just went -- bloop. Matter of fact, when he hit it I couldn't get it out of my mouth fast enough. It was right in there." The ace came before plenty of appreciative fans in the gallery. Flesch, born in Cincinnati and now living just across the border in Kentucky, had some 40 friends and family members following him around the course. Interested observer
Barbara Nicklaus, wife of Jack and mother of Gary, followed both around the course in the first round. Late in Jack's afternoon round, however, she complained of back pain and was taken to the tournament's first-aid tent. Gary confirmed that his mother was taken to a local hospital Thursday night and given a spinal CAT scan. The two hospitals where she most likely was treated declined to provide information at the request of the Nicklaus family. "She just had back pain and the doctor was concerned about it and took her down and they determined it was kidney stones," Gary said after shooting a 68 in the second round. Her husband shot a 73 and then was asked about his wife's condition. "Barbara's fine," he said. Memorial pinball
Mark Brooks and Carlos Franco had already hit their shots to the green on the par-4 17th hole. Then John Daly let fly with his wedge from 140 yards. The towering shot made a direct hit on Brooks' ball, which was about 15 feet behind the pin. Daly's ball then ricocheted to the right corner of the green, with Brooks' ball rolling all the way to the left side of the green. As the rules specify, a tour official placed Brooks' ball back as near as possible to where it was before being struck, while Daly had to play from where his ball ended up -- about 60 feet away instead of around 15 feet. Both two-putted for par. Daly finished with an even-par 72 to miss the cut. Brooks had a 69 that left him at 3-under. Both declined to be interviewed as they left the course. Franco said, "It was very unlucky. ... I've never seen that before." Divots
Vijay Singh on what he's faced since winning The Masters: "Wherever I go, there's a lot of signing to do. And a lot of Augusta flags. I don't know how many I've signed, but it's really kind of a non-ending thing."
Ernie Els shot an 8-under 64 on daughter Samantha's first birthday.
Fuzzy Zoeller shot a 43 on the back side and a 32 on the front in the second round. Asked how many putts he took on the front, he said, "Good God, not many." He actually had 12, then took 18 on the second nine holes.
Greg Norman was ranked as the 88th richest person in Australia and the country's wealthiest athlete with more than $150 million by a business publication Down Under. Norman's response? "They don't know what they hell is going on. All my stuff's private, so how do they know?"
Friday, May 26
DUBLIN, Ohio -- The Memorial Tournament had perfect weather all four rounds in 1999 and the first two rounds this year.
 | |
| Ernie Els and Jack Nicklaus were in one of the most popular groupings the first two rounds. |
Steve Flesch used a 9 iron to ace the 155-yard 12th hole on his way to a 68 that allowed him to barely make the cut at 4-over 148. He had hit a 7-iron from almost the same distance a day earlier. This time there was no indecision. "It was just the perfect iron as long as I hit it solid," he said after his eighth career ace. Playing partner Fuzzy Zoeller said, "It was a beautiful shot, absolutely gorgeous. It hit right in front of the hole and just went -- bloop. Matter of fact, when he hit it I couldn't get it out of my mouth fast enough. It was right in there." The ace came before plenty of appreciative fans in the gallery. Flesch, born in Cincinnati and now living just across the border in Kentucky, had some 40 friends and family members following him around the course. Interested observer
Barbara Nicklaus, wife of Jack and mother of Gary, followed both around the course in the first round. Late in Jack's afternoon round, however, she complained of back pain and was taken to the tournament's first-aid tent. Gary confirmed that his mother was taken to a local hospital Thursday night and given a spinal CAT scan. The two hospitals where she most likely was treated declined to provide information at the request of the Nicklaus family. "She just had back pain and the doctor was concerned about it and took her down and they determined it was kidney stones," Gary said after shooting a 68 in the second round. Her husband shot a 73 and then was asked about his wife's condition. "Barbara's fine," he said. Memorial pinball
Mark Brooks and Carlos Franco had already hit their shots to the green on the par-4 17th hole. Then John Daly let fly with his wedge from 140 yards. The towering shot made a direct hit on Brooks' ball, which was about 15 feet behind the pin. Daly's ball then ricocheted to the right corner of the green, with Brooks' ball rolling all the way to the left side of the green. As the rules specify, a tour official placed Brooks' ball back as near as possible to where it was before being struck, while Daly had to play from where his ball ended up -- about 60 feet away instead of around 15 feet. Both two-putted for par. Daly finished with an even-par 72 to miss the cut. Brooks had a 69 that left him at 3-under. Both declined to be interviewed as they left the course. Franco said, "It was very unlucky. ... I've never seen that before." Divots
