STATELINE, Nev. (AP) — Former NHL star Jeremy Roenick shot a second-round 69 to take the lead after 36 holes and former LPGA great Annika Sorenstam and Chad Pfeifer, who lost his left leg above the knee serving in Iraq, are among several players in contention in the American Century Championship tournament on Saturday.
Roenick has a two-day total of 48 points in the modified Stableford scoring system with Pfeifer in second at 44 and former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien next at 43 at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Sorenstam has 42 points and is tied for fourth place with 2011 champion Jack Wagner, the actor.
Roenick has twice previously held the lead after two rounds and is hoping to break through after a third-place finish in 2011 and a fifth in 2009.
Pfeifer, who was hurt by an IED explosion while on patrol in Iraq in 2007, is the sentimental favorite of the large galleries at the 25th anniversary event.
“I hit the ball really strong,” Roenick said after the rain-delayed finish. “I wanted to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes. I had a short three-putt, unfortunately, but besides that, I hit the ball exactly where I want to hit it.”
Roenick, Rypien and Pfeifer are in the final group on Sunday. The second-to-last group will have Sorenstam, Wagner and Trent Dilfer, who is in sixth place with 41 points.
The tournament’s scoring system awards 10 points for a double-eagle, six for an eagle, three for a birdie, one for a par, zero points for a bogey and minus-2 for double bogey or worse.
“It’s truly spectacular to watch Chad Pfeifer strike the ball,” Roenick continued about the fan favorite. “There’s no handicap in Chad. This guy is a true blue competitor.”
Sorenstam played more aggressively on Saturday and plans to come out strong Sunday.
“I felt a lot better today, just standing on the first tee, I didn’t feel as tight and as nervous,” she said. “But the front nine, I must say it was probably one of the worst putting displays that I can recall, certainly the last six years.”
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