Sergio Garcia shares Byron Nelson lead with Ryan Palmer after attitude adjustment

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Sergio Garcia withdrew earlier this week from a British Open qualifier and passed up a practice round at TPC Four Seasons because of an infected fingernail on his left hand.

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Stephen Hawkins

Associated Press

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While Ryan Palmer is doing everything his caddie tells him, Sergio Garcia is playing just fine without a practice round at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Palmer and Garcia shared the second-round lead at 8-under 132 after a sun-soaked round Friday when the wind was gusting up to 36 mph.

Garcia posted his second consecutive 4-under 66, after withdrawing from a British Open qualifier five holes in and passing up a practice round at TPC Four Seasons because of an infected fingernail on his left hand.

After a bogey at the 523-yard par-4 third hole when his approach flew over the green, Garcia birdied three of the next four holes and was bogey-free the rest of his round. Despite the windy conditions, he hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens.

"You would be happy with those stats on a day with not much wind," Garcia said.

There also were some impressive shots along the way for Garcia. The 31-year-old Spaniard blasted out of a greenside bunker to 7 feet to save par at No. 14, then had a 45-foot chip-in birdie at the 15th hole when he couldn't putt because of three sprinkler heads in the way. Walking into the stiff wind the rest of the way, he had pars on the last three holes.

Palmer shot a 67. He had made the cut only once his seven previous appearances at the Nelson with nine consecutive rounds over par before this week when caddie James Edmondson is calling his shots.

"He's never played good here and we finally decided that I was going to take over and just lead the horse around the ranch," Edmondson said.

With input from instructor Randy Smith, Edmondson is telling Palmer where to hit off the tee and what to do with his approach shots. The arrangement is working so far. Palmer opened with a 65 Thursday before what was maybe a more impressive round with only one bogey in difficult conditions.

"I keep surprising myself how calm I am when it's that way. ... This is a golf course that I've struggled on so it's nice to not to think about it, just get up and hit the shot, and if I don't hit the shots it's on me," Palmer said. "So it's nice to be free-swinging like that."

Tim Petrovic (66) and Scott Piercy (69) were three strokes back at 5 under. Nick Watney (68), Joe Ogilvie (70) and Chad Collins (69) followed at 4 under.

For the second year in a row, area amateur teenager Jordan Spieth made the cut at the Nelson. After his 2-under 68 Friday, he was in a group of six players at 3 under.

Spieth's high school graduation ceremony is Saturday afternoon. The ceremony for Dallas' Jesuit Prep's graduating class of 246 seniors starts at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, at an auditorium on the SMU campus about 20 miles from TPC Four Seasons.

"Right after the round ... I'm going to shoot over there as quickly as possible," Spieth said. "I don't know how long (graduation) usually lasts."

First-round leader Jeff Overton followed his opening 64 with a 74 that including consecutive bogeys to end his round.

Seventy-four players made the cut at 3 over. Right on that mark was defending champion Jason Day (71).

Palmer had his only bogey at the 503-yard, par-4 15th hole when he missed the green with his approach and then two-putted from 17 feet. With the wind really starting to pick up he parred out, using a 5-wood for the second consecutive day at No. 18, where he had a 25-foot birdie attempt just slide by the cup.

"I thought I was going to hit driver today and (Edmondson) pulls that 5-wood. `What am I going to do, hit 5-wood? Five-wood?'" Palmer said. "And he goes. `Let's practice for the British Open. Hit the 5-wood hard, you can hit,' and I did that. Hit a perfect 5-iron to the middle of the green."

Garcia, the 2004 Nelson champion, hasn't won a tournament since 2008.

"When I'm feeling good, even in windy conditions like today, I feel like I can control the ball flight and I can hit some good, solid shots," Garcia said. "It's going to be tough out there. I just need to make sure that I stay positive and just try to trust myself as much as I can."

Eugene Monroe, Michael Oher Talk Future With Ravens

Posted Dec 30, 2013

Garrett DowningBaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer@Ravens All Garrett Downing Articles



Eugene Monroe and Michael Oher are both free agents, and there is likely only enough money to sign one.


The Ravens have a big decision ahead for their offensive line.

The two starting tackles – Eugene Monroe and Michael Oher – are both free agents and expected to garner interest on the open market. The Ravens likely only have enough money to sign one of them to a long-term deal because they are reportedly tight on salary cap space next season.

As Monroe and Oher head into the unfamiliar territory of free agency, both expressed interest in returning to Baltimore, but know money will be tight.

“This is definitely an awesome place, and I definitely would love to be here,” Monroe said. “I loved my time here, feel like I fit in pretty well. I came in here and played well every game, and I’d like the opportunity to do that here again.”

Oher, a 2009 first-round pick by the Ravens, stressed that the decision is out of his control.

“I’ve enjoyed being a Raven,” he said. “I’ll always be a Raven, I love it. But I don’t know, it’s not in my hands to get done.”

Pundits have speculated the Ravens will make a push to re-sign Monroe, who they acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for fourth-and fifth- round picks in the 2014 draft. The Ravens traded for Monroe in early October, and he took over the starting left tackle job in Week 6.



Monroe started every game after cracking the starting lineup, and was one of the offense’s best players. According to the statistical analysis website Pro Football Focus (PFF), Monroe was the team’s best offensive player by far. He earned a cumulative grade of 25.0 for the season, and the next best offensive player was Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda (10.7).

Monroe was the ninth-ranked tackle in the NFL, according to PFF.

“Coming here was refreshing for me, refreshing for my family,” Monroe said. “It’s been a good year for me, starting out in Jacksonville and then getting a little life coming here and playing really well. A lot has happened.”

While Monroe blossomed during his time with the Ravens, Oher struggled this season. He was flagged for three false start penalties, three holding calls and allowed 10 sacks. Oher finished as the fifth lowest rated (-13.6) player on offense, which was the lowest overall grade he has received from PFF in his five-year career.

The Ravens had reportedly entered into contract discussions with Oher last season, but the two sides never worked out an extensions and he’s unsure about what will happen in the coming months.

“I’ll have to talk to my agent about it,” Oher said. “I’m still a Raven right now until I’m not.”

Regardless of whether the Ravens re-sign Oher or Monroe, a priority for the offseason is to make improvements along an offensive line that struggled to open holes in the running game and allowed quarterback Joe Flacco to get sacked 48 times.

“I can only work to improve myself,” Monroe said. “As far as the entire unit, that’s up to coaches, that’s up to front office, however they handle it. But I’ll do my best to improve my performance, and that’s a goal of mine every year."