Buick Open round two: Can Kenny repeat his sizzler?

Some one should tell Brett Quigley he doesn’t really fit in at the top of the leaderboard, because he’s not a former winner. There’s four of them sitting right alongside him, with two more in the wings: Woody Austin one shot back and 1999 champion Tom Pernice Jr just three shots off the pace after a strong 67 on Friday.

You’d need a top-of-the-range crystal ball to predict how this is going to unravel over the next two days. I certainly don’t agree with a market that makes Jim Furyk such a clear favourite still at a little over 3. That has more than a hint of the triumph of hope over experience.

I’m not saying he can’t or won’t do it, just that he is surrounded by players making impressive claims to being able to stop him.

Perhaps the strangest thing about Friday was how both Furyk and Kenny Perry lost their way with what is usually the trustiest part of their game, their drivers. Perry hit only seven fairways and Furyk just six. What saved both was rediscovering the power of their putters, but here Kenny was by far the most impressive. Coming after a somewhat turbulent Wednesday and Thursday - his wife in hospital and breaking a spectator’s nose - this was a magical performance marred only by the closing bogey that robbed him of the outright lead. Kenny’s got the sort of experience that should help him avoid the trait of following a sizzler with a slump and sounds as if he fancies his chances very strongly.

Quigley has been here before of course - he was second round leader last year - and we’ve still to see if he’s got enough in the tank to keep going. But the other player to have impressed me is Scott Verplank, who would be leading but for a couple of silly mistakes. His short game and his putter are the best of the bunch so far.

And if none of these guys can kick on Saturday, there’s a growing queue of hot prospects gathering in the wings. Now he’s found his rhythm, who’s to say Jay Williamson can’t get a head of steam up over the weekend again? He’s only four shots adrift.