Daily Wrap-up: Round 2, Mayakoba Golf Classic

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Feb. 25, 2011
By Staff and wire reports

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico -- Chris Stroud made eight straight birdies -- one off the PGA TOUR record -- and shot a 63 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead at 11-under 131 after the second round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Rd. 2 Scores
Tee Times
Transcript: Stroud
Photos: Round 2

"You can never get ahead of yourself," Stroud said. "Tomorrow is another day. I've got to come out and do the same thing tomorrow and look for a consistent routine and stick to my process, and whatever happens at the end of the week is where I end up."

Winless in five seasons on the PGA TOUR, the 29-year-old Stroud birdied Nos. 9-16. Mark Calcavecchia set the record of nine straight birdies in the second round of the 2009 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey.

"I was just trying to stay out of my own way," Stroud said. "I wasn't really thinking about it. I really had two good chances on 17 and 18, had about a 25-footer up the hill and then probably an 18-footer on 18.

"Seventeen, I left it a little short and I told myself, `Let's just hit a good putt.' I hit a pretty good one, but it didn't break."

Kevin Stadler (66), Cameron Percy (66) and Sunghoon Kang (67) were tied for second on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course south of Cancun on the Caribbean coast. Johnson Wagner (66), Fredrik Jacobson (67), Jarrod Lyle (66), Billy Horschel (65), William McGirt (67), Kent Jones (68) and Spencer Levin (67) were 7 under.

Stroud began the birdie run with an 8-foot putt, made a 10-footer on No. 10, and added an 18-footer on 11. On the par-4 12th, he lipped out a 6-iron approach and holed a 6-footer. He made a 4-foot putt on the par-5 13th after hitting a 2-iron just short of the green and chipping.

The former Lamar player made a 25-footer on 14, hit an 8-iron to 2 feet on the par-3 15th, then made another 25-footer on 16 for his final birdie.

"Everybody knows it out here, it's all putting," Stroud said. "Most of us hit it pretty well, and a lot of days when you don't hit that well and you putt and chip well, you're still going to make a pretty good score."

He missed the cuts in his last three events, shooting 74-73 last week at Riviera.

"I've actually been playing pretty well," Stroud said. "This is my fifth event this year. I played pretty well in California, only made one cut out of four, and that just goes to show you how difficult the PGA TOUR is. You can play well and not make a cut.

"I knew if I just hung in there and was patient this week, and everything sort of clicked over nine holes. I made all the putts I've been missing for the last four weeks all at once."

David Toms, tied for the first-round lead after a 66, had a 70 to drop into a tie for 12th at 6 under. Defending champion Cameron Beckman was at 5 under after a 70.

Aaron Baddeley, last week's Northern Trust Open winner, missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 71. Bob Hope Classic champion Jhonattan Vegas was 3 under, following an opening 74 with a 65.

John Daly missed the cut, shooting 73-75.

El Camaleon: Friday

EASIEST HOLE	TOUGHEST HOLE
The par-5 13th hole was the easiest with a Friday scoring average of 4.530. EAGLES: 5 BIRDIES: 63 PARS: 53 BOGEYS: 11 OTHER: 0	The par-4 14th hole was the toughest with a Friday scoring average of 4.326. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 13 PARS: 80 BOGEYS: 28 OTHERS: 11

About the leader

• Coming into the week, Chris Stroud had missed his last three cuts after finishing T68 to open the season at the Bob Hope Classic. He recorded only two of 12 rounds in the 60s to open the season, before recording back-to-back rounds in the 60s this week. Stroud posted his first back-to-back rounds in the 60s at this event in five starts.

• After missing the cut in his first start at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2007, Stroud has made his last four. His best finish here is T12 in 2008.

• Stroud has held two other leads/co-leads on TOUR. He held the second round lead at the 2008 Valero Texas Open (T6) and the first round lead at the 2010 Childrens Miracle Network Classic (T7).

• Stroud's three shot lead is the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history. Joe Durant's two stroke lead in 2010 was previously the largest 36-hole lead.

• Stroud now has the largest 36-hole lead on TOUR this season at three strokes. Bill Haas (Farmers Insurance Open), Fred Couples (Northern Trust Open) and Steve Marino (AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am) all had two stroke leads, but were not able to hang on for the victory.

Record day

Chris Stroud recorded eight straight birdies in the second round today Nos 9-16. He was one off the TOUR record of nine straight birdies:

Birdies	Player	Course	Round	Score	Event
9	Mark Calcavecchia	Glen Abbey GC	Round 2	65	2009 RBC Canadian Open (T8)
8	Bob Goalby	Pasadena GC	Round 4	65	1961 St. Petersburg Open (won)
	Fuzzy Zoeller	Oakwood CC	Round 1	63	1976 Quad Cities Open (2nd)
	Dewey Arnette	Warwick Hills GC	Round 1	65	1987 Buick Open (T47)
	Edward Fryatt	Doral Golf Resort and Spa (Blue Course)	Round 2	62	2000 Doral-Ryder Open (T9)
	J.P. Hayes	Palmer Course at PGA West	Round 1	65	2002 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (T16)
	Jerry Kelly	TPC Summerlin	Round 3	65	2003 Las Vegas Invitational (T9)
	Chris Stroud	El Camaleon Golf Club	Round 2	63	2011 Mayakoba Golf Classic