Golf

PODS: News and notes

By Bryan Burns, Times Staff Writer
Published March 9, 2008

Shot of the day

Stewart Cink's drive on the par-4 10th hole kicked right into pine needles and next to some pampas grass. His second shot sailed through some palm fronds and landed 25 feet from the hole. He made the putt to start a string of three straight birdies en route to his two-shot lead.

Hole of the day

18 As a finishing hole, the par-4, 425-yard 18th is not overly daunting. But Saturday, the wind was in the golfers' faces, making the hole much more difficult. There were only three birdies from the 73 who played it. "Normally on 18 you just wail it up there and hit a wedge or 9-iron," said Geoff Oglivy, two off the lead after parring 18. "We were all hitting 3-irons and 4-irons in there."

Quote of the day

"I think I would take the day off and spenda little time with the family."

Kevin Sutherland, right, on what he would do on a blustery, cold day like Saturday if he weren't golfing

Playing hooky

PALM HARBOR - Mitchell High golfer Kenny Cavender, 17, had a good excuse for not attending classes last week. The junior has been busy caddying for Ted Purdy, a Monday qualifier who made it to the weekend after shooting 3 over in the first two rounds.

Cavender, the No. 1 golfer for the Mustangs' boys team, stood over Purdy's bag as the five-year PGA Tour veteran shot 8-over 79 on Saturday. Purdy was at 11-over 224 for the tournament.

"I asked my dad if I could take a week off of school, and he said, 'Hell, yeah, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity,'" Cavender said. "It's great. I'm just soaking everything in."

Cavender has been quick to offer encouragement when things are going well for Purdy. When they're not? "I just let him do his thing," he said. "I don't get in the way."

Per the standard arrangement between player and caddie, Cavender will get 5 percentof Purdy's winnings.

Land of rising star

With two top-10 finishes in his first five events, former Chamberlain standout and Tampa resident Ryuji Imada, in his fourth season on the PGA Tour, is off to the best start of his career. Imada's torrid pace has continued at Innisbrook, where he posted 1-over 72 on Saturday to finish 1 over (214) and in a tie for 13th.

"If you shoot a great number, you're obviously going to move up a lot," said Imada, who was born in Mihara, Japan, and at age 14 moved to Tampa. "I'm one round away, one great round away from it. So hopefully I can get that round tomorrow."

Imada, who missed the cut in this event last year, earned his second career second-place finish in January at the Buick Open, won by Tiger Woods, and tied for fifth two weeks later at the Northern Trust Open. Saturday, he played 26 holes after having his second round cut short Friday.

"The conditions need to stay tough for me to have any chance," he said.

Notable absences

Former champions Retief Goosen (2003) and John Huston (2000) missed the cut after finishing their second round Saturday morning. David Duval shot 7-over 78 and failed to make the cut for the sixth time in six attempts this year. David Toms, who was in contention after an opening 70, followed with 81 to miss the cut of 145. Tarpon Springs native Patrick Olive, the field's lone amateur, shot 82 in his second round and finished plus-24 for the tournament.

[Last modified March 8, 2008, 22:29:24]