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For Pernice, no cure like a record day at the office: AT&T National
(Free Lance-Star, The (Fredericksburg, VA) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Jul. 5--BETHESDA, Md. -- Tom Pernice Jr.'s balky left hip has caused him so much pain this week that he has spent hours working with trainers just so he can walk the 7,255-yard Blue Course at Congressional Country Club.
As he found out yesterday, there's no medicine like a tournament record.
Pernice provided the fireworks with a 7-under-par 63, the best round in the tournament's brief history, and tied Jeff Overton for the lead at 9-under for the tournament through two rounds at the AT&T National.
"With more 63's, I think it will get better," Pernice joked.
Overton shot a bogey-free 65 in the morning to join Pernice in the clubhouse with the lead, and the two watched as several challengers that teed off in the afternoon failed to overtake them.
Anthony Kim and Cliff Kresge came the closest, finishing tied at minus-6 for the tournament, three strokes off the lead. They completed their rounds following a 97-minute thunderstorm delay that halted play in the late afternoon.
Pernice, 48, positioned himself to contend for his third career championship and first since 2001. He was even after five holes but ran off a streak of four birdies.
"All of a sudden, I caught fire," he said.
He was magnificent with his irons, and his putter bailed him out on a few occasions.
He birdied Nos. 6 and 7 with putts of 19 and 20 feet, respectively. His birdie putts on Nos. 8 and 9 were relative tap-ins from three and two feet.
"I hit a lot of iron shots in there close, which made it somewhat not-so stressful," he said. "But the bonuses were obviously a couple 20-footers at No. 6 and 7, which really kind of got it started."
He preserved his tournament course record with six-foot putts to save par on Nos. 14 and 15.
His 63 tied the previous low score at a PGA event at Congressional, shot by Matt Gogel at the 2005 Booz Allen Classic. Coincidentally, Pernice was Gogel's playing partner that day. Back then, though, the course was a par-71.
"I'm thrilled at my position," Pernice said. "Shooting 63, 7-under par, around this golf course is pretty special."
Overton, who at 25 is nearly half Pernice's age, has continued the steady work off the tee that helped him qualify for the upcoming British Open in a 36-hole qualifier on Monday in Michigan. It will be his first major since joining the PGA Tour after qualifying school in 2005.
He hit 10 of 14 fairways yesterday, and three of his five birdies came on holes on which he missed.
"It's just been feeling awesome," Overton said of his swing off the tee. "I've just really been slowing it down and getting a nice transition at the top of the golf swing."
Overton shot in the 60's for the second straight day. Entering the tournament, he had gone 16 rounds without breaking 70, and he had missed the cut in six of his last seven tournaments.
Pernice and Overton put a bit of distance between themselves and the pack.
First-round leader Steve Marino shot even-par and finished the round tied with six others at four strokes back.
His longtime friends in the gallery cheered three birdies but lamented three bogeys, as well. Drinks in hand, they rooted on the former Fairfax resident with such cheers as: "The Bird Man is knocking, Steve. Let him in, baby!"
"It was a little bit more boisterous than [Thursday]," Marino said. "I still think it's probably going to be mild compared to what it's going to be tomorrow, and especially Sunday, if I continue to play well."
One of Marino's playing partners, John Merrick, stormed into contention with a 64 and finished 5-under for the tournament.
He had one of the shots of the day -- along with Corey Pavin's ace of the 215-yard, par-3 10th -- when he buried an eagle with a pitching wedge from 127 yards on the par-4 18th.
"My perfect yardage for that," said Merrick, who also eagled the ninth hole. "It was wild."
Kim was at 7-under for the tournament entering the final hole but bogeyed the par-5 ninth -- he began his round on the back nine -- after a wayward approach on his third shot.
He hinted afterward that he might debut a new belt buckle today. He turned heads last season by wearing an ostentatious one inscribed with his initials. He said earlier this week that he recently had a new one made.
"I didn't want to bring it out unless I was in the final group," he said, "but I might have to bring it out early."
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Copyright (c) 2008, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.
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