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CROMWELL, Conn. - Peter Jacobsen and Jay Haas, a couple of almost seniors, should start to get the attention that leaders at a PGA Tour event deserve.
Suzy Whaley, who stole the spotlight the first two rounds of the Greater Hartford Open, didn't make the cut Friday, and the focus shifts to the men who did.
Whaley, a club pro, was the first woman to qualify for a men's tour event since Babe Zaharias in 1945 (Annika Sorenstam was invited to play in the PGA Tour's Colonial this year). Whaley shot 8-over 78 in the second round at the TPC at River Highlands and finished 36 holes at 13-over 153, 13 strokes off the cut and 23 behind Jacobsen.
"I absolutely loved every minute of it," Whaley said. "It was a pleasure to be here and be a part of it."
Jacobsen shot 3-under 67 and was one stroke ahead of Haas, his first-round co-leader.
The 49-year-olds are in contention for their first PGA Tour win in years.
Jacobsen, a former GHO champion, hasn't won on tour since 1995, and it has been a decade since Haas finished on top. Jacobsen's opening 63 was his best round of the year.
"Definitely my best golf is behind me. I realize that," Jacobsen said. "That doesn't mean I can't play well for four days or string eight or 10 rounds together and possibly win a tournament."
Haas and Jacobsen are good friends and will be in the final group for today's third round. They came out of tour school the same year and watched each other's children grow. On Friday they kept track of each other closely on the leaderboard.
"I don't know the last time we were paired together coming down the stretch and both having a chance to win," Haas said.
They played together in the first round at Memphis this year, and Haas shot 64.
"I enjoyed playing with Peter. I enjoyed talking," Haas said. "I'm sure there won't be a shortage of that tomorrow."
The round of the day belonged to a newcomer.
Rookie Darron Stiles, 30, shot 7-under 63, his best round of the season. He was tied for third with Willie Wood (66) and Paul Goydos (65) at 132.
"The overall key today was I hit iron shots really good," Stiles said. "I hit a lot of them really close and made the putts."
Three-time defending champion Phil Mickelson barely made the cut. His 73 Friday left him at par.
"I just threw shot away after shot," Mickelson said. "I don't really think about the cut. I'm trying to get in contention to win."
Whaley tied for 148th with three others. She beat three others, not counting 13-time tour winner David Duval, who is in a slump and withdrew after opening with 83.
Whaley's ever-present smile faded slightly as she finished the round, not because she was disappointed in her score but because her whirlwind week was over.
"I wish I could explain to you how it feels to have that many people cheering for you all day long, for two days straight. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world," she said. "So I was a little sad on the last putt. But it was a great, great week. ...
"For me, I think the greatest benefit in the world is every single young girl that was here today, including my own daughters, who watched me tee off with two men like it was not anything different than it should be. And I feel like I showed people that you can achieve anything. ... My girls know that now."