Ashna Mallowe blog

Unheralded Gainey grabs lead in frigid Phoenix

PHOENIX, Arizona (AFP) – Tommy Gainey, an unheralded American who spent most of last year on a developmental tour, birdied six of the last eight holes Friday to seize the lead after the first round of the Phoenix Open.

Gainey, who managed a career-best runner-up finish at Disney World in 2008 as a US PGA rookie, played in the final group and finished on eight-under par 63, one stroke atop countryman Dustin Johnson after an oft-delayed round one.

Gainey was among 66 players who were unable to complete their opening rounds on Thursday due to heavy frost and unusual cold in the desert region. It caused more than seven hours of delays that will force a Monday finish to the event.

The 35-year-old from little-known Central Carolina Tech opened with a pair of pars Thursday before sunset but returned Friday and birdied the par-5 third, then birdied the par-3 seventh and par-4 11th.

Gainey began a run of three birdies in a row at the par-5 13th and after a par at the par-3 16th finished his round with back-to-back birdies that moved him to the top of the leaderboard.

Johnson began his first round Thursday and birdied four holes in a row after an opening par before darkness fell. He returned Friday to suffer his lone bogey at the eighth but answered with a birdie at nine.

Johnson, who shared third last week at Torrey Pines, took birdies at the par-5 13th and 15th holes and added another at 17 to put himself ahead unless Gainey's sizzling finish.

"I played pretty solid," Johnson said. "I'm swinging well and I'm playing good so I don't mind the fast turnaround."