TAMPA, Florida: American Chris Couch posted three pairs of birdies in a blistering back nine of 29 Friday to tie compatriot Garrett Willis for the second round lead at the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook. Couch fired a seven-under-par 64 and nearby resident Willis posted 67 for nine-under-par 133 totals to share a one-stroke lead over Spain's Sergio Garcia and American Webb Simpson. Another stroke off the pace at seven under par were overnight leader Paul Casey, who shot level-par 71, and fellow-Briton Justin Rose, who birdied seven of 10 holes from the seventh to roar up the leaderboard with a 65. Joining them on 135 were Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe and Americans Marc Turnesa, Roland Thatcher and Gary Woodland. Willis and Couch, both one-time winners on the US PGA Tour who have had a long wait for a follow-up victory, took best advantage of the usually challenging Copperhead course, defanged so far this week by benign conditions. “To have to days like this, this calm, is crazy,” said Willis. Couch said he was driving the ball well and putting his approaches into good spots on the fast, sloping greens. Couch notched his only US Tour victory in New Orleans in 2006, while Willis won his only title at the 2001 Tucson Open. Garcia used his latest putting style, a claw grip, to shoot 66 after making birdies on three of his first four holes as he registered his second bogey-free round. Stanford seizes lead In Phoenix, Arizona, American Angela Stanford fired a six-under par 66 Friday, answering a double bogey with an eagle on the next hole to seize a one-shot lead after the opening round of the LPGA Founders Cup. Stanford birdied three of the first five holes before taking a double bogey at the par-4 eighth hole, Stanford blasted an 8-iron from a fairway bunker into the cup on two bounces and off the flagstick for an eagle. The inaugural Founders Cup will donate its entire $1 million purse to charity, with half going to LPGA youth programs and the rest divided among charities of the 10 top finishers. US veteran Juli Inkster, hoping to become the oldest winner in LPGA history at age 50, shared fourth on 68 along with compatriots Mina Harigae, Nannette Hill and Amelia Lewis plus Swede Sophie Gustafson and Spaniard Beatriz Recari. Jacquelin leads in Sicily France's Raphael Jacquelin shot a third-round 69 to climb to the top of the leaderboard at the EPGA Sicilian Open Saturday. Jacquelin, with a nine-under-par total of 213, leads going into the final round by one shot from overnight pace-setter Anthony Wall, who carded a one-over-par 72 to add to his opening rounds of 66 and 67. British duo Jamie Elson and Phillip Price are tied for third, two shots off the pace. Jacquelin is seeking his third European Tour win after success in Madrid in 2005 and the co-sanctioned Asian Open in 2007. Well off the pace heading into Sunday is Ryder Cup-winning captain Colin Montgomerie, who had started the day only four under but failed to maintain his challenge with a 71. The Scot was happy enough with his effort, however, after falling victim to flu. “Considering I spent 21 hours in bed before going out there today, I played OK,” Montgomerie said on www.europeantour.com.
