In the news:
Originally published February 3, 2012 at 9:39 PM | Page modified February 3, 2012 at 10:31 PM
Spencer Levin leads, Gig Harbor's Kyle Stanley is 5th in PGA Tour event | Golf
Spencer Levin had a three-shot lead and Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor was in fifth place at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, a PGA Tour event in Scottsdale, Ariz. Thirty-four players had yet to finish the second round when play was suspended at TPC Scottsdale.
CHRISTIAN PETERSEN / GETTY IMAGES
Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor hits a tee shot on No. 12 Friday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Spencer Levin took a drag on his cigarette, stamped it out in the rough and climbed into the bunker behind the 17th green at TPC Scottsdale. He set up quickly, took a glance at the hole and splashed out.
The ball landed about 10 feet from the hole, bounced twice and rolled into the cup for an eagle-2 that pushed him to 14-under par Friday in the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. A few minutes — and another cigarette — later, he parred the 18th for an 8-under 63 and a three-stroke lead in the PGA Tour event.
"Hopefully, I can just keep trying to believe in myself and just keep trying to make my swing, and we'll see what happens," Levin said. "I'm going to give it my best shot. It should be fun. I'm looking forward to it."
Harrison Frazar was at 11 under and had three holes left in his round when play was suspended because of darkness.
Kyle Stanley (66) of Gig Harbor was in fifth at 7 under as he tries to rebound from a devastating loss last weekend. On Sunday at Torrey Pines, he made a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole of regulation and lost to Brandt Snedeker in a playoff in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Stanley played the last six holes Friday in 5 under, highlighted by an eagle-3 on the 15th hole.
There were 34 players who didn't complete the second round. Players with scores over par are projected to miss the 36-hole cut.
Ex-Washington Huskies player Troy Kelly (74) was at 2 over. Ryan Moore of Puyallup was at 3 over for the tournament with five holes to play in the second round.
Delays caused by morning frost are typical here; the last time the 36-hole cut was made on a Friday was 2006.
Webb Simpson (69), the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 6 in the world, was third at 8 under along with Tour rookie John Huh (66).
Simpson, who was in the last group to finish play at No. 18, said, "That was probably the darkest I've ever played. I couldn't really see anything."
Attendance was 116,299.
Fan favorite Phil Mickelson (70), a former Arizona State standout who won the event in 1996 and 2005, made four birdies on the back nine.
Note
• European Tour officials reduced the Qatar Masters in Doha to 54 holes when they called off play Friday after strong winds moved golf balls and blowing sand reduced visibility on several holes.
Play is scheduled to resume Saturday and American John Daly, who didn't start his second round, led at 5 under.
