Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 7, 1990 TAG: 9004070154
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: AUGUSTA, GA. LENGTH: Medium
Well, the party started Friday for the 47-year-old at Augusta National Golf Club.
Having a ball running up front again, Floyd fired a 4-under-par 68 in tricky, swirling winds to take the second-round lead in the 54th Masters.
"It's great to be back up there again," said Floyd, whose name rarely has surfaced since his 1986 victory in the U.S. Open.
"For some reason, I felt that I was going to come here, have some fun and play well," he said. "Obviously, today was a lot of fun."
Floyd played his final 11 holes Friday in 5 under par to post a 6-under 138 total, good enough for a one-shot lead over the 1989 Masters heartbreak kid, Scott Hoch.
Hoch, trying to atone for last year's excruciating playoff loss to Nick Faldo, kept his title hopes alive with a 68.
Masters first-timer John Huston, who opened with a brilliant 66 Thursday, had a 74 Friday, but remained solidly in the hunt at 140.
Japan's Jumbo Ozaki, who fired a second-round 71, is three shots back at 141.
Five players are bunched four shots back at 142, including six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus, 1982 winner Craig Stadler, Peter Jacobsen and long shots Bill Britton and Mike Hulbert.
Virginian Curtis Strange, defending champion Nick Faldo and 1985 winner Bernhard Langer are at 143.
Among those failing to make the 36-hole cut of 148 were pretournament favorite Greg Norman (72-150), '88 winner Sandy Lyle (74-151), crowd favorite Arnold Palmer (80-156), Paul Azinger (76-156) and Ken Green (80-158).
Mike Donald, the leader after a first-round record-tying 64, bogeyed five of his first six holes Friday and ballooned to an 82. He now trails by eight shots.
While Augusta trumped "The Donald," Floyd began to make his move to the front when he got home in two at the 535-yard, par-5 eighth hole and drained a 12-foot putt for eagle.
"This whole day, and that hole in particular, brought back some old memories," said Floyd, suddenly showing the length off the tee that enabled him to go 15 under on the par-5s and win by eight shots here in 1976.
"I haven't reached that hole in years in two," he said. "I had 262 yards to the hole and I caught a 3-wood flush."
As the swirling winds continued to scramble the leaderboard, Floyd kicked into high gear with birdies on Nos. 13-15.
Floyd, who like Nicklaus is using a metal driver designed by Ozaki, said he felt he could do little wrong.
"Everything went right," he said. "At No. 11, I had an 8-foot par putt die at the hole. I waited a few seconds, walked up and it fell."
Floyd, whose best finish in six starts this season is a tie for third at the Honda Classic, said he has been working hard on his game the past few months.
"I decided I'd like to see if I can play well again," he said. "After not being competitive for so long it can be tough.
"The big thing is consistency. On any given day, I can go out and play just as well as ever.
"If I stay within myself, I think I can have a lot more fun this weekend. But right now, I'm just toying with 'em. I haven't even thought about winning yet."
Hoch, like Floyd a North Carolinian, said he wasn't shocked to see Floyd's name at the top of the scoreboard.
"You can tell Raymond is intense. He can smell it," Hoch said. "Those eyes of his get real bug-eyed when he's playing like this."
Nicklaus, 50, rejuvenated after some subtle swing changes and a victory in his Senior PGA Tour debut last week, claimed he should have been closer to the leaders.
Can he win a seventh green jacket?
"I think my chances are pretty good," Nicklaus said. "In fact, I think I've got a very good shot at it."
His odds are better than those of a lot of big names.
Strange, who birdied the first and fourth holes to quickly move a shot behind the fading leaders, went downhill from that point. He got down in four from the back fringe at the tough 435-yard, par-4 ninth for a double-bogey. He bogeyed No. 12, then parred in to finish with a round of 73.
Other notables back in the pack include Ben Crenshaw (146), Seve Ballesteros (147), Mark Calcavecchia (147), Lee Trevino (147) and Tom Watson (148).\
by CNB