PGA play halted by storms

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Phil Mickelson is looking a bit more at ease, the golf course providing some of the distraction he wanted while he and his wife deals with her breast cancer.

Now if he can just his putter back under control.

Mickelson just missed a couple birdie attempts Friday, then cost himself a stroke when a par putt lipped out. Not that he got the chance to correct his stroke during the second round of the St. Jude Classic. He marked his tee shot in the 16th fairway, got a ride off the course and jumped into his car after play was stopped ahead of thunderstorms that had tornado sirens wailing.

Play was halted and fans and players were cleared from the TPC Southwind course when the horn sounded 10 minutes before thunder could be heard on Friday. Tornado sirens then went off approximately 40 minutes after play was stopped with the storm tossing equipment around the course and knocking power out in parts of town.

Brian Gay held the clubhouse lead after a 4-under 66 put him at 10-under 130 through 36 holes, two strokes ahead of Robert Allenby and Bryce Molder (63), with Allenby having three holes to play. Seventy-eight golfers still must finish when the second round resumes this morning.

Mickelson appeared much more relaxed Friday, even laughing a couple times during breaks with playing partner Padraig Harrington. He started tied for 19th at 2 under and began with three straight pars on a day with almost no wind and near perfect scoring conditions until the storm approached.

He finally got going with a birdie on No. 4 — the first of three birdies over the next six holes.

Woody Austin (66) was tied at 133 with a group including David Toms, the two-time champ here who was at 7 under with four to play. Rich Beem (68) and Loren Roberts (67) were among those tied at 134.

Gay birdied five of his first eight holes and got as low as 12 under when he birdied the par-4 12th and 15th to become the first to reach 12 under. But he bogeyed his final two holes and fell back to 10-under 130 through 36 holes.