LRTO: Pampling loses momentum on 11th hole

RENO - Rod Pampling is five shots behind the leader after 36 holes at the 11th annual Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.

He can blame it on his second hole of the day, the par-5 11th.

Pampling recorded a quadruple-bogey 9, which dropped him to 2-under for the tournament. He managed to record five birdies the rest of the way en route to a 2-under-par 70 and a 137 for 36 holes. The 9 is the highest score on any single hole of this year's tournament.

"It was a good tee (shot)," Pampling said after the round. "I hit a 5-wood just short of the bunkers. It was early. It was early. I guess some water came off the golf course because the ball squirted straight right. I found the ball and it was amongst three rocks, but it was accessible.

"So I have a crack at the first one. I hit the rock and it bounced over it. The next one I hit it again and bladed it. I took an unplayable and knocked it out. I came up short in the bunker. I hit a great bunker shot (and made it) for a nice 9."

Pampling was still satisfied that he was able to come back and post a decent score.

"Obviously I haven't been getting 9s," he said. "I've been having holes that have been stopping my momentum big time. I was trying my hardest not to let that happen again today. I made a great putt at the next hole (on the par-3 12th) which it kind of gets you straight up. If that putt doesn't go in, then you kind of feel a bit down.

"Definitely I'm not far out of it. Obviously it could have been a good round, but still was a decent round. I've got the next two days to fix it up."

TOUGHEST, EASIEST HOLES

The second round produced 34 scores below 70, 73 under-par and 94 finished at par or better. There were 35 rounds over par.

The par-3 7th played the toughest, averaging 3.186. The hole yielded just 12 birdies, 34 bogeys and one double-bogey. The second-toughest hole was the par-3 16th which played to a 3.101. The hole produced 22 birdies, 19 bogeys and six double-bogeys.

The easiest hole was No. 4, a par-5, which played to a 4.527 average. There were 12 eagles, 51 birdies, 10 bogeys and two double-bogeys. The second-easiest hole was No. 13, a par-4. It played to a 3.698. There were 48 birdies, 27 bogeys and three double-bogeys.

RECOGNIZABLE NAME GONE

One big name didn't make the cut. Paul Azinger, who shot a second-round 76 for a 145, was one shot past the cut mark of 144.

Aaron Baddeley (147), Charley Hoffman (153) and Andres Romero (149), three of the game's young stars, won't be around for the weekend.

CHIP SHOTS

Mark Brooks recorded an eagle at the par-4 first on Thursday, holing out from 126 yards. It's only the second eagle at No. 1 in tournament history. The other was recorded by Andrew Magee in the second round of the 2000 event ... Spike McRoy recorded two eagles (4 and 9) on both par-5s on the front Thursday ... Rich Beem and Frank Lickliter both withdrew on Friday. Beem withdrew at the ninth hole. Neither player gave a reason for withdrawing... Scott McCarron canned a 9-foot putt on his final hole to shoot a second straight 72 for an even-par 144, which was the cut number. Former champ Kirk Triplett also shot 144 ... A total of 73 players made the cut.