Date: September 22, 2007
Author:

Flesch leaps into lead

Steve Flesch has taken an outright lead at the Turning Stone resort Championship but it was a good second day for the Australian contingent and especially for Jarrod Lyle who carded an eight-under 68 round. After being tied for third after the first round, though, Flesch began his second round in a tentative fashion and was only one-under turning for home. But the American produced a sensational back nine that included four birdies and an eagle to race into the lead after signing for a seven-under 65 that sees him at 13-under overall after two days. The impressive back nine has catapulted Flesch onto the top of the leaderboard where he is one stroke ahead of Brendan de Jonge (66) and equal first round leader Jeff Gove. While Flesch was going on his merry way, the highlight for the Australian contingent was a superb round by Lyle who well and truly made up for his disappointing 73 on the opening day by carding an eight-under 64 in his second round. Lyle simply produced a flawless round of golf that saw him post eight birdies in total as he raced up the leaderboard to be at seven-under overall, six strokes off the pace. Matthew Goggin, though, was still the leading Aussie as he followed up his first round 66 with a three-under par 69 on day two to be at nine-under overall and definitely in contention to take the title. One stroke further back is John Senden, who carded three birdies and a bogey in a round of 70 while four Australians, Lyle, Robert Allenby (70), Mark Hensby (69) and Stuart Appleby (67) are tied at seven under overall. While Appleby was the best on the second day after Lyle, at one stage it appeared as though Hensby had the course at his mercy as he carded five birdies going before slipping on the back nine with three bogeys and a birdie. Second Round of Turning Stone Resort Championship (par 72) -13 Steve Flesch 66 65 -12 Brendon de Jonge 66 66, Jeff Gove 65 67 -11 Charles Warren 68 65 -10 Matt Hendrix 67 67, Chris Stroud 69 65, Charley Hoffman 69 65 -9 Jeff Maggert 71 64, Mathew Goggin (Australia) 66 69, Jeff Overton 70 65, Briny Baird 69 66, Eric Axley 69 66, Carl Pettersson 69 66, Bill Haas 69 66, Craig Bowden 70 65 also: -8 John Senden (Australia) 66 70 -7 Robert Allenby (Australia) 67 70, Mark Hensby (Australia) 68 69, Stuart Appleby (Australia) 70 67, Jarrod Lyle (Australia) 73 64 -6 Nathan Green (Australia) 70 68 -5 Nick O&aposHern (Australia) 71 68 -4 Andrew Buckle (Australia) 69 71, Nick Flanagan (Australia) 72 68 missed cut: -3 Michael Sim (Australia) 71 70 -2 Peter Lonard (Australia) 69 73 1 Steve Allan (Australia) 76 69, Gavin Coles (Australia) 73 72 2 Paul Gow (Australia) 70 76