Former Rebel chasing Garcia for PGA lead

Tim Dahlberg

Friday, Aug. 13, 1999 | 11:57 a.m.

REBEL RISING

Breakdown of former UNLV player Skip Kendall's course-round of 30-35 65 today at Medinah Country Club in the PGA Championship:

Birdies: 8

Pars: 9

Bogeys: 1

On Thursday: Kendall finished with a 2-over-par 74

In the hunt: Kendall stands at 5 under par heading into weekend play

MEDINAH, Ill. -- Former UNLV golfer Skip Kendall shot a course record 7-under 65 today on an accommodating Medinah Country Club course to move into contention in the second round of the PGA Championship.

England's Lee Westwood also got in the hunt with a 68 that included a final-hole birdie on a day when the attention turned away from the Ryder Cup dispute and back to golf in the season's final major.

Teen sensation Sergio Garcia, meanwhile, showed no signs of fading and was 1-under for the day and one stroke ahead of Westwood despite missing several short birdie putts through 11 holes.

Kendall, who has never won on the PGA Tour, shot a 6-under 30 on the front nine after starting with four straight 3s to open the day. He made four birdies in a row beginning at the seventh hole.

"I'd love to win any tournament," said Kendall, playing in only his second PGA at the age of 34. "A major would be a bonus."

Kendall, one of the tour's shortest hitters playing the longest course in a major at 7,401 yards, used some spectacular iron play and a streaky putter to make eight birdies against a lone bogey on the par-3 13th.

Though he was regularly 40 yards behind his playing partners off the tee, Kendall more than made up for it with accurate iron approaches.

"I don't think the course is playing its actual yardage," Kendall said. "It seems like a normal week to me."

With greens softened by rainstorms Thursday, players were able to fire at pins and run putts boldly at the hole.

The 19-year-old Garcia, who led by two after an opening 66, also started strongly, making a birdie on the third hole to get to 7-under for the tournament. He remained that way with a string of pars despite missing several putts inside 10 feet.

A day after a series of storms blew across Medinah on opening day and threatened to disrupt the championship in a torrent of water and words, the focus returned to golf.

On Thursday, none played better than Garcia, Spain's own El Nino, who had a masterful round a tournament awash with rain and Ryder Cup controversy.

And, the youngest player in the field did it with the cocky self confidence that made his opening 89 in the British Open seem a distant memory.

"I think I proved myself today. I think the British Open is done," Garcia said. "I don't want to hear any more questions about the British Open."

Garcia's round, which included a 32 on the back nine and tied the competitive course record, put him two shots ahead of the unlikely trio of Jay Haas, Mike Weir and J.P. Hayes. Lurking just two more shots back were the big names of David Duval, Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman, Nick Price and senior star Hale Irwin.

All took advantage of the rain softened greens, but none did it better than Garcia, the Spanish sensation with his El Nino nickname sewn on his golf bag.

The rainstorms sent most in the gallery packing by the time Garcia stroked a 9-iron to within 6 feet on the 18th hole for a final birdie that put him two ahead of the field.

Fifteen players could not finish their opening rounds because of the rain delay, including Corey Pavin, who was 3-under on the 17th hole. Pavin finished today with an opening round 69.

The second round opened under cloudy and breezy conditions, but without the rain of the first day. Garcia had an early tee time, while Woods and Duval played in the afternoon.

"I think I'm good enough to stay where I am," Garcia said. "I always like to be two strokes ahead. If I'm four ahead tomorrow, I'm not going to feel any pressure."