Golf

Allenby leads despite swelling

BETHESDA, Md. - Robert Allenby can't make a fist with his right hand when he wakes up because of a mysterious swelling that has pained him for months.

But the Australian got enough grip on his game Friday to shoot 6-under 65 for the second-round lead at the Booz Allen Classic.

Allenby's round was the best of the day on a player-friendly Blue Course at Congressional Country Club, putting him at 9-under 133, two better than first-round leader Matt Gogel, Lee Westwood, Adam Scott and Steve Elkington.

Allenby must run hot water over his hand to relieve stiffness and make a round of golf possible.

"At first, we thought I had rheumatoid arthritis or some sort of arthritis," said Allenby, who first woke up with two swollen hands after the Nissan Open in February.

"We did a bunch of blood tests. The last week or two, it's only just started to go down. Only a couple of fingers in my right hand feel a little stiff and achy, but my left hand feels much better. I've had no feel, no touch around the greens at all. Even to this day, we still don't know what was causing it."

Allenby has competed in recent weeks because the ailment doesn't affect his tee-to-green game, just chipping and putting.

His solid iron play Friday was key. He didn't make a putt longer than 10 feet but didn't have a three-putt. He took advantage of an early tee time to birdie four of his first six holes as Congressional played easier in the morning than the afternoon for the second straight day.

Heavy rain early in the week has made the course soft and manageable. The earlier the better has been the rule with the greens more smooth, the wind calmer and the humidity a tad less overbearing.

Gogel, who has struggled much of the year, shot a course-record 63 with a 7 a.m. tee time Thursday. But a 72 on Friday included three birdies and four bogeys. Gogel missed seven of 14 fairways and put his tee shot in the trees at No.8.

"If you don't hit fairways out here, you're going to have a hard time hitting greens," Gogel said.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: R.W. Eaks overcame a shanked sand wedge to shoot 7-under 65 for a share of the first-round lead with Gil Morgan at the Bayer Advantage Classic in Overland Park, Kan.

Eaks, starting at No.10, bogeyed the 592-yard par-5 12th hole after shanking his sand wedge. But he made a 17-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th. Then after a par, he had four consecutive birdies.

EUROPEAN PGA: Gary Emerson shot 7-under 63 for a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the KLM Dutch Open in Hilversum. Emerson had nine birdies, including a stretch of 8 of 11, to reach 8-under 132. Paul Broadhurst, who led after the first round, shot 67 and is one back. Alessandro Tadini shot 64 to sit two back.

[Last modified June 11, 2005, 00:26:12]