PGA Maruyama builds 5-stroke lead
Shigeki Maruyama had nine birdies for an 8-under 64 after two rounds.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- With an ever-present smile and a 5-foot-7 frame, Shigeki Maruyama doesn't look like much of a threat on the golf course.
But he's not nicknamed the Smilin' Assassin for nothing.
The diminutive Maruyama reeled off nine birdies en route to an 8-under 64 Friday and a commanding lead after two rounds of the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.
Maruyama, who is at 15-under 129, leads at the halfway point by five shots over Brad Faxon, who lost in a playoff here in 1997.
Maruyama laughed when asked about his nickname.
"I'm not as dangerous as an assassin," he said with a smile.
Second straight 67
Faxon, wearing a Boston Red Sox cap, shot his second straight 67 at Forest Oaks Country Club.
As Faxon walked up the 18th fairway, one fan yelled: "Let's go Yankees." Faxon broke into a wide grin.
But Maruyama was the main story on this day.
"Five shots is a big lead on any course after two days," Faxon said. "I love the guy. I think he's good for golf and he's sure on."
Maruyama began his round with three pars before going on a birdie binge to pull away from the rest of the leaders. After four birdies in a row in the middle of his front nine, the Japanese golfer added five more in his last nine holes for his 12th straight sub-70 round.
Maruyama, who is winless this season after victories on the PGA Tour in 2001 and 2002, closed his round by hitting a wedge within two feet of the hole for a birdie.
"I knew I was leading and I was just trying to get another stroke lead," he said of his final hole. "I was happy and excited to finish the round that way."
80 players break par
Eighty of 132 players broke par on the first round of Davis Love III's redesign of the 1962 Ellis Maples layout, including a 63 by Peter Jacobsen.
But most of the good scoring ended in the morning rounds with cooler temperatures, gusty winds and harder approach shots.
"The field staff had a chance to get goofy with the pins and they did on some of the greens," said first-round leader Jacobsen, who followed his great round with a 2-over 74.
"It was playing three of four shots tougher with that wind," added Stephen Ames, who is tied with Paul Gow for third at 9 under.
Gow, who missed nine of 10 cuts to start the season and is 163rd on the money list, shot a 3-under 69.
"Now I can forget how bad the rest of the year has gone and focus on this weekend," Gow said.
Ames shot a 71, but it looked as if it was going to be much higher after four bogeys in his first five holes.
"A lot of the shots I was not visualizing," Ames said. "Until I got to the fifth hole it was like I wasn't seeing anything. I was just standing there and hitting the ball."
Ames got going on his sixth hole with an eagle and then a birdie to remain on contention.
Jacobsen said he hit the ball as well as he did Friday, but got no breaks on the greens.
"I was surprised I shot over par, but the bottom line is I played well and it sets me up for the weekend," Jacobsen said. "When you make 11 birdies and shoot a 63 or anything low it's tough to come back and keep the momentum going."
Meanwhile, Love shot a 74 and finished at even-par, missing the cut on his redesigned course.
And defending champion Rocco Mediate withdrew after his first nine holes Friday because of a right wrist injury suffered while trying to hack the ball out of some high grass.
"I didn't break anything," said Mediate, who was walking around with a bag of ice on. 'I just can't hold on to the club with my right hand."