BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Mike Weir putted reasonably well without a putter, while Stephen Ames didn't putt well with a putter.
The two Canadians each shot 75 yesterday in the second round of the PGA Championship at the Oakland Hills Country Club, which left Weir at eight-over-par 148 in the field for the weekend and Ames at 152 and out of the tournament.
Weir three-putted a couple of holes early on the back nine, where he started his round. The final straw for his putter was when it refused to hole a short par putt on No.ƒ|13, Weir's fourth hole of the day.
"I gave [the club] a little lob at the bag," the native of Bright's Grove, Ont., said. His golf bag was lying beside the green. "It happened to catch right on the plastic [at the bottom], and made just the smallest dent in the shaft. Dummy."
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Rule 4-3(b) in the Rules of Golf applies in such a case. It reads: "If, during a stipulated round, a player's club is damaged other than in the normal course of play rendering it non-conforming or changing its playing characteristics, the club must not subsequently be used or replaced during the round."
Weir had to putt with his 18-degree hybrid, also called a rescue club. On the eighth hole, his 17th, he used it to hit the green from 230 yards and then to putt with it. That's a versatile club.
"I rolled the rescue pretty nice," Weir said. "I didn't have one three-putt with the rescue and I had five with my putter. Maybe I'll stick with it [today]. Maybe I'll bend my putter to 18 degrees."
Ames, meanwhile, couldn't rescue himself from weak putting. He was feeling better than on Thursday, when he was lethargic because of an illness. On the firm, crusty greens yesterday, it was Ames's putter that was lethargic.
"My putting wasn't as sharp as it needed to be," the Calgary resident said. "The greens were quicker and the wind picked up. Leaving yourself with four and five-footers for par every time was tough."
Both Weir and Ames said the course was severe.
Ames called it "tougher than [the first round] by far."
