Those two unknown golfers who shared the first-round lead at the University Hospital-Utah Open took rather divergent paths over the final few holes of Saturday's second round at Willow Creek Country Club.
One came on strong with a brilliant putting exhibition on the final nine holes, while the other crashed and burned on the final seven holes in a barrage of bogeys.Neal Lancaster, the North Carolinan who was known by "Grady" earlier in the week and is now getting known for his distinctive hot pink hat and cool putting stroke, grabbed a 1-shot lead after 36 holes of the 54-hole tournament with a 67 Saturday for a 135 total.
Meanwhile, Matt Potter, who had shared the first-day lead with Lancaster and was tied at 9-under-par with seven holes to play Saturday, suddenly discovered the Willow Creek rough and went six-over on the final seven holes, finishing with a 73 and a 141 total.
Second place going into the final 18 holes belongs to Rick Cramer, a 29-year-old from Fort Collins, Colo., who plays out of Scottsdale, Ariz. in the winter. Cramer, who earlier this summer captured the Nevada Open title, fired a 67 for a 136 total.
Lurking just three shots back of Lancaster is defending champion Jay Don Blake, who shot a 68 after a nifty little 30 on the front nine. He's joined by ex-BYU golfer and part-time PGA Tour player Kent Kluba and Brandel Chamblee, who played the Tour full time last year.
At 139 are two golfers, Tucson's David Powell and Murray Parkway assistant Chris Jones, who is playing in only his third professional tournament. Still in the hunt at 140 is a group of six golfers, including Homestead pro Bruce Summerhays and five out-of-staters - Mark Carnevale, Brandt Jobe, Jeff Maggert, Mike Putnam and Bruce Vaughn.
Lancaster, a native of Smithfield, N.C., was thrilled with his round, which he said deserved to be more like a 72 or a 73.
"It was kind of funny round," said Lancaster. "On the front nine, I hit it good and putted bad and on the last nine, I hit it bad and putted great."
After three-putting twice on the front nine, he ended up even par for the day. Then he got cookin' with consecutive birdies at 10, 11 and 12. At 15, he hit a 7-iron to within 25 feet and was "lagging it up there when it went right in." He added another 20-footer at 17.
"I scored a lot better than I should have gotten away with," said the 26-year-old Lancaster, who's not worried about being in the final group Sunday. "It's a great opportunity. I'd rather be in the last group than the first group."
Cramer has been playing in Lancaster's shadow all tournament because he's played in the same group for two days. And they'll be in the same group Sunday - the final group of the day at 12:50 p.m., along with Kluba.
"Heck, I'm just trying to keep up with Lancaster," joked Cramer, who is just one shot worse, but has received virtually no media attention thus far.
Like Lancaster, Cramer has been playing on the U.S. Golf Tour this summer, but he didn't fare as well as Lancaster who was the second leading money winner. Aside from the Nevada Open win, which earned him $15,000, Cramer's best finish was a tie for second in Spokane last month.
Cramer made just one bogey on the day when he three-putted No. 4. Most of his birdies came on short putts as he put the ball close most of the day.
"I'm going to work on hitting the ball in the fairway tomorrow and getting the ball in the proper place on the green," he said. "My bogeys have come when I miss the fairway with my drive."
Blake appeared on his way to a fantastic round when he went to 5-under-par after seven holes and was just a few inches short of rolling in a putt at No. 9 for a 29.
Not content with his front-nine 30, Blake wanted more on the easier back nine. But at the par-5 No. 10 hole, he tried to hit a driver off the fairway with his second shot and pull-hooked it into the trees. His next shot hit a pine tree and by the time he finished the hole he had a bogey. He also bogeyed 11 and 13 and had birdies at 12 and 17.
"After making so many birdies so quick, I think I was trying too hard and made a couple of bogeys," he said. "I'm still in position that I can put a good round together tomorrow. I'll need to shoot six or seven under or make a move early and put pressure on the others."
Chamblee, 27-year-old from Texas who played on the PGA Tour last year, put together the best round of the tournament with a 65, highlighted by an eagle-2 at the 18th hole, when he holed a wedge shot from 116 yards.
The highlight of his summer came last week when he finished second to Don Pooley in the Ebel Match Play tournament in France.
"I need to shoot 66 or 67 tomorrow to have a chance," said Chamblee, who is playing in his fourth straight Utah Open.
Potter, playing in the last group of the day, got caught in some nasty weather - wind and rain - although he didn't blame his troubles on that.