GOLF Wacky weather doesn't bother Els

Steve Pate is the co-leader with Harrison Frazar in the Farm Bureau Classic.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
THOMASTOWN, Ireland -- His post-majors funk behind him, Ernie Els was back in his element Friday.
Playing some of his best golf in the worst conditions, Els breezed through a wacky day of weather at the American Express Championship by starting with four straight birdies and finishing with an 8-under 64, giving him a two-shot lead and hope that he still has a lot to play for this year.
"I didn't know what to expect today," Els said. "I wanted to just try and get myself in position and take every shot as they came. I mean, 64 in these conditions ... it's one of the better rounds I've played this year."
Els was at 11-under 133, and right behind him was a familiar foe.
No, not Tiger Woods.
British Open champion Todd Hamilton, who went head-to-head with Els over the final 40 holes at Royal Troon before beating him in a playoff, had one of only two bogey-free rounds at Mount Juliet for a 69 and was at 9-under 135 with Miguel Angel Jimenez (68).
"I've seen everything except snow today," Hamilton said.
Woods still struggled with a back injury, but he saved his worst grimaces for all the putts he missed.
Just one shot off the lead at one point, Woods took 19 putts over his final nine holes and had to settle for a 70, leaving him five shots behind going into the weekend.
"I just had four holes where I spent a little more time on the green than I should have," Woods said.
Everyone spent way too much time changing clothes.
The weather switched from showers to sunshine, from a warm breeze to cold gusts up to 20 mph, sometimes over the span of three holes.
"We were taking off jackets, putting on jackets, had the umbrella out, taking rain pants off, putting them back on," Hamilton said. "It was a nuisance. Plus, we got told we were behind, and that makes you speed up. I told him it was because we had to undress so many times."
PGA Tour
MADISON, Miss. -- Steve Pate closed his 7-under 65 with two birdies Friday and shared the lead with Harrison Frazar after two rounds of the Southern Farm Bureau Classic.
Pate, who hasn't won on the PGA Tour in six years and hasn't finished better than 15th this year, was at 12-under 132 after his second trip around the 7,199-yard course at Annandale Golf Club. He made a 27-foot birdie putt on the 409-yard 17th, then went for the eagle on the par-5 18th, but left his 49-foot putt short and tapped in.
"There was no thought about laying up there," Pate said.
Frazar, who had two eagles in his 67, started the round tied for the lead with John Senden and Glen Day. Chris Couch shot a 63 Friday and was tied at 133 with Senden (67) and Patrick Sheehan (68).
Frazar eagled the 522-yard 5th for the second straight day, reaching the green in two and making a 27-foot putt. Then, he used a sand wedge to hole his 110-yard second shot on the 414-yard 13th.
Champions Tour
HUNT VALLEY, Md. -- Wayne Levi tied a tournament record with an 8-under 64 and held a one-shot lead over Rodger Davis after the first round of the Constellation Energy Classic on Friday.
Joe Inman and Eduardo Romero had 67s at the 7,060-yard Hayfields Country Club course and were one shot in front of a group of 11 that included Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, and Tom Watson.
Levi had eight birdies, including three straight starting at No. 5, as he matched his best round on the Champions Tour.