Janzen Gets Cut Off by the Book

You don’t think golf is a game of rules?

Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen was assessed a two-stroke penalty before the start of play Saturday that pushed his score from five-over 145 to seven-over 147.

The cut ended up being six-over 146, meaning Janzen missed it.

The infraction:

Resuming first-round play at 7 a.m. Friday, Janzen used a towel to absorb moisture from the fairway before replacing his ball that was in play.

First-round action had been suspended Thursday because of rain.

Janzen’s move was a breach of Rule 13-2, which states in part: “The removal of dew or frost from the area immediately behind or to the side of a player’s ball is not permitted. Such action is deemed to improve the position or lie of the ball or the area of the player’s intended swing.”

Reed Mackenzie, U.S. Golf Assn. vice president and chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee, said a breach of 13-2 normally results in disqualification.

“But since the committeeman observed the violation and failed to notify the player of the penalty, the penalty of disqualification is waived,” Mackenzie said. “However, the penalty strokes must be added to his score.”

Thirty-three players had to complete their second rounds Saturday morning before the field could be trimmed. The cut ended up at six-over 146, with 79 of 156 golfers advancing to weekend play.

It was the fourth-largest cut in U.S. Open history behind 108 players in 1996, 88 in 1993 and 84 in ’97.

Among the notables who did not make the cut were Brad Faxon (147) Nick Price (148), Mark O’Meara, Jose Maria Olazabal (149), Miguel Angel Jimenez (150), Paul Lawrie (150), Justin Leonard (151) and Gary Nicklaus (152).

Corey Pavin, who has won only one tournament on the PGA Tour since his 1995 U.S. Open victory, shot two-under 68 on Saturday and is at three-over 213 after 54 holes.

Pavin, the former UCLA star, is not known as a long hitter, but two days of sunshine have hardened the Southern Hills course and made it faster.

“I’d rather be long and straight than short and straight, but you use what you’ve got,” Pavin said. “And I’ve got what I have, and I’m going to do the best I can. That was almost getting to Yogiism there.”

Pavin’s chances?

“I certainly think I have a chance,” he said. “I certainly have a better chance now that I shot two under today.”

Par of the day: At the par-four 12th, Bryce Molder missed the green about 30 yards left and the ball rolled behind a scoreboard into the rough. Molder ran the ball past the hole, off the green and into more short rough. He chipped in from there for his four.

Molder, 22, an All-American at Georgia Tech, shot two-under 68, the lowest round by an amateur since Sam Randolph in 1986.

He said he enjoyed himself.

“I was able to relax and just play golf like I usually do,” Molder said, adding, “I don’t always shoot low scores, I don’t always chip in for par.”

From Michael Allen after his 67: “I just wanted to come out here and watch Tiger hit a few balls. Anything else is just gravy.”