Given the talent on tour, Paul Goydos is not surprised that six players were tied for the lead Friday after two rounds of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
But under the circumstances, Goydos found it highly unusual that he was among them.
Goydos arrived at Spyglass Hill and headed to the putting green, only to realize he wasn't wearing golf shoes. He had left those back in his car at Pebble Beach. Then, he had to tackle a course where he had never broken 70.
Five hours and seven birdies later, he had a 7-under 65 and was part of an eclectic mix atop the leaderboard in the three-course event.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson was the biggest presence, even after a 2-under 68 at Monterey Peninsula in which he kept hitting it close for birdie and tapping in for par.
Also at 10-under 132 were Alex Cejka (67 at Spyglass), Bryce Molder (65 at Monterey), J.B. Holmes (67 at Monterey) and Matt Jones, who had a 67 at Pebble Beach and was the only player among the leaders yet to play the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula, the newcomer to the rotation and the only course playing as a par 70 this week.
"There is no defense on any of these golf courses," Goydos said, noting while the rain has stayed away, so has the wind that can make some of these seaside venues so tough.
David Duval was one shot off the lead. The former No. 1 player in the world was at No. 882 last summer when he tied for second in the U.S. Open, although he hasn't done much since.
After a 67 at Spyglass, Duval shot a 68 at Pebble Beach to stay in the hunt.
"I'm hitting the ball pretty good. Had to shake a few putts in on these greens," he said. "Kind of the recipe you need to have out here."
U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin last week appointed Goydos one of his four assistant captains, mostly for his observational skills. They served him well when he glanced down at his shoes on the practice green.
"They're both black," he said. "I was putting and I'm like, 'They look shinier that they normally do.'" He caught a shuttle back to the parking lot, changed shoes, then put together the kind of round he had never experienced at the toughest of the three courses.
He hit to within 5 feet of the pin for his first birdie ever on the sixth hole. Then came a 3-wood to the par-5 11th green, the first time he had ever reached that green in 2. And on the 325-yard 17th, he hit a terrible lob wedge that spun off the green, then chipped in for birdie.
"It's not a good sign when you hit the same two clubs in a row,'' he said. "Unless it's the putter."
Over at Monterey Peninsula, Johnson and Holmes told similar tales. They hit the ball right where they were aiming until they grasped the putter.
"Hit 'em all good and had three or four lip out,'' Johnson said.
Spyglass was again the most difficult of three courses at 71.635, followed by Pebble (70.92) and Monterey Peninsula (68.75).
Jones, Duval and Padraig Harrington, who had a 67 at Pebble Beach and was at 8-under 136, all head to what has proven to be the easiest of three courses on Saturday.
Phil Mickelson was on his way up the leaderboard until a double bogey on the par-5 first hole, although he still managed a 67 at Spyglass Hill and was at 7-under 135, only three shots off the lead.
