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Mediate, Janzen lead Shootout
by Associated Press
NAPLES, Fla. (AP)?
Rocco Mediate and Lee Janzen are threatening to run away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout title.
The former Florida Southern teammates birdied eight of their first 10 holes and took a three-shot lead after Saturday's second round of the unofficial PGA Tour event at Tiburon Golf Club.
"It's the best place to be right now, but we still have to play exceptional golf," Janzen said. "We have to play like we did the last two days."
Each made six birdies in the better-ball format for a 12-under-par 60 that put them at 19-under 125.
First-round leaders John Huston and Jeff Maggert were next at 16 under.
"It really looks like they're playing awfully well, so it's going to be tough to catch them," Huston said. "We're going to have to make some putts and hopefully the momentum will go our way."
Three teams were five shots back: Dudley Hart and Jeff Sluman, Matt Kuchar and David Gossett, and Mark O'Meara and John Cook.
The winners will split $500,000 from the $2.25 million prize money. Teams will compete in a scramble format Sunday. Modified alternate shot was the format in the first round.
At one point early in the day, eight of the 12 teams were within two shots of one another.
Even two-time defending champions Brad Faxon and Scott McCarron, who started the day seven shots out of the lead, jumped back into contention. They moved within three strokes with a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch to close the front nine.
But Mediate and Janzen, playing in the final group, started a run of five straight birdies at No. 6, then birdied three of four holes in another stretch on the back nine.
Most of the 12 birdies were with short putts. Mediate made a 20-footer and a 25-footer for the longest.
"I wouldn't say anybody's out," Mediate said. "I wouldn't count anybody out. You never know what can happen."
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