By Jeremy Harness
AP photo: Scott Piercy walks up the fairway after hitting from the second tee of the Silverado North Course during the second round of the Safeway Open in Napa on Friday
NAPA–With rain coming into the area for Friday’s play at Silverado Resort and Spa, scores were supposed to go up a little bit. In fact, when players were allowed to lift-clean, and place their balls to give themselves a favorable lie on the course, things actually picked up.
After setting a course record with a 10-under 62 during Thursday’s opening round of the Safeway Open, Scott Piercy kept things going in the second round. The 37-year-old did not record a single bogey on Friday and even came through with an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole.
Piercy, however, was not able to get through his entire round. There was a nearly two-hour rain delay that did not allow the players in the field to finish their rounds before the sun went down. As a result, they will finish their second round first thing Saturday morning – given that the weather holds up – and will start their third round later that morning.
According to local weather reports, there is a 30 percent chance of rain as early as 8am PST and will steadily increase well into the afternoon and early evening, so it remains to be seen if the third round will be completed, as delays are expected at this point.
When play resumes Saturday morning, Piercy will pick things up on the 13th hole and will hope to extend his lead even more. He does have company, though, as Johnson Wagner trails him by only a pair of strokes, picking up five shots in his abbreviated round Friday, as he was able to get through 14 holes before sunset.
One of the rookies on the tour, J.J. Spaun, who made his debut as a full-time PGA Tour player after earning his card by finishing in the top-25 in the Web.com Tour last season, got himself in the mix with a five-under 67 in the second round and is currently tied for seventh place, as he was one of the few players who was able to finish his round before the rain got serious enough for the delays to occur.
Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson is tied for 10th after shooting a three-under 69 after fighting off two straight bogeys at the first as well as the second holes.
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