Date: March 15, 2014
Author: Dejan Kalinic, Omnisport

Garrigus surges in Florida as Daly bombs out

Robert Garrigus surged into a three-shot lead at the halfway mark of the Valspar Championship on Friday.

The American moved into seven under at the Innisbrook Resort after six birdies helped him card a five-under 66 in the second round. His countryman Kevin Na is a shot back, with a quartet of players locked at three under in a tie for third. In that group are Pat Perez (71) and Matt Every (71), who were consistent after being in a four-way share of the overnight lead. Italian Matteo Manassero (70) and Englishman Justin Rose (68) are also in contention heading into the weekend at the PGA Tour event. Garrigus started well in Palm Harbor, making birdies on the first, fifth and ninth holes, while managing pars on the others on the front nine. A bogey at the 10th proved to be his only blemish for the round as a birdie on the 11th, and back-to-back ones at 14 and 15, saw him take a handy lead. Na produced a bogey-free round to continue his consistent showing, following up on his opening 70 with a three-under 68. Australian Greg Chalmers (72) was also among the overnight leaders and remains in the hunt in a tie for seventh at two under. Americans Jim Furyk (69), Luke Guthrie (70), Scott Langley (69) and John Merrick (70) are alongside him. New Zealander Danny Lee, the final of the quartet who were top of the leaderboard after the opening round, missed the cut. Lee, who was runner-up at last week's Puerto Rico Open, holed a double bogey, seven bogeys and a birdie in an eight-over 79. But that was far from the worst round of the day as John Daly produced a horror career-worst 90. Daly ended with a 12 on the par-four 16th, pumping three balls into the huge pond alongside the fairway.